Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

What we know about the deadly blast at a Gaza City hospital

A massive blast Tuesday rocked a Gaza City hospital that was packed with wounded and displaced Palestinians amid an Israeli offensive on Gaza

Via AP news wire
Tuesday 17 October 2023 21:34 EDT
Israeli attack on Gaza hospital ‘unprecedented’

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

This is what we know about Tuesday's deadly blast at a hospital in Gaza City.

— In the dark of early evening in Gaza, reports emerged of an explosion at Gaza City’s al-Ahli hospital. Al-Ahli was crowded both with victims of 10 days of Israeli airstrikes and with families and others who have taken refuge on hospital grounds.

— Video that The Associated Press confirmed as being from the hospital showed an orange ball of fire and flames engulfing the building and grounds.

— The video showed the outside of the hospital, where countless Palestinian families had been camping out. Torn bodies covered the grass, with slain children lying among dead adults.

— Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry blamed an Israeli airstrike, and said it killed at least 500 people.

— Israeli authorities soon after denied involvement, saying a misfired Palestinian rocket appeared to blame.

— Outraged over the hospital blast, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan’s King Abdullah II announced they were pulling out of a planned Arab summit Wednesday with President Joe Biden.

— The White House and Jordan's government announced within hours of the attack that Biden’s meeting with Arab leaders was off.

— Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt and other Arab nations condemned the hospital attack, or declared days of national mourning. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi declared the hospital explosion “a clear violation of international law ... and humanity.”

— Protests erupted in some Arab cities. In Beirut, protesters roamed the city on motorcycles and gathered outside the French embassy and a U.N. facility, in protests against the international community’s response to the civilian deaths in Gaza. Throngs of Jordanians gathered outside the Israeli Embassy in Amman.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in