18 October 2023 , 08:54
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Israel has released a recording which they claim has Hamas militants admitting a strike on a hospital in Gaza was likely a misfire from Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Hundreds are feared dead after the blast at the al Ahli al Arabi hospital on Tuesday, with Hamas pointing the finger at Israel and claiming the explosion was the result of an airstrike. But Israel has denied responsibility and released the footage which they say appears to capture Hamas operatives agreeing it was a misfire from the other Palestinian militant group as it was "local shrapnel".
The recording, which Israel maintains is a conversation between two militants, has one person saying: "I'm telling you this is the first time we see a missile like this falling and so that's why we are saying it belongs to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad." They add: "They are saying it belongs to Palestinian Islamic Jihad."
The shelling of the Gaza City hospital has killed hundreds (AP)When asked by the other person, "it's from us?", the reply is: "It looks like it!" He continues: "They are saying the shrapnel from the missile is local shrapnel and not like Israeli shrapnel."
The other person says: "But God bless, it couldn't have found another place to explode? The first replies, "they shot it coming from the cemetery behind the Al Ma-amadani Hospital and it misfired and fell on them".
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
The massive explosion at the Anglican-run hospital in Gaza City killed hundreds of people on Tuesday, Hamas said. The deadly blast followed an attack by Israel in southern Gaza, where Palestinians had been ordered to take refuge. As well as blaming Israel for the hospital attack, Hamas' military wing also claimed an Israeli airstrike on a refuge camp killed one of their top commanders.
Analysis released by Israel of how the rocket fired showing the hospital was directly in its line of sightThe attack resulted in a meeting between Joe Biden and Jordan to be cancelled, as the US President visits Israel to meet with the country's PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden told Netanyahu that the hospital explosion appeared to have been done "by the other team, not you" as he visited on Wednesday.
Netanyahu greeted Biden as he landed, with the President expected to to encourage the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. Aid workers have now warned that life in Gaza is nearing complete collapse because of the Israeli siege that followed a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
Before the hospital strike, the Gaza Health Ministry said 2,778 Palestinians have been killed and 9,700 wounded. Another 1,200 people across Gaza are believed to be buried under the rubble, alive or dead.
More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, and at least 199 others, including children, were captured by Hamas and taken into Gaza, according to Israel.