Following an attack on Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital in Gaza allegedly killing 500 people, the Israeli Defence Forces have categorically denied allegations that it was a result of an Israeli airstrike. The IDF officials emphasized that it was a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) that hit the hospital premises in Gaza killing civilians.
They also asserted that Hamas knew that the rocket launched by PIJ at around 6:59 PM (local time) (on 17th October) misfired and it coincided with the first reporting of an attack on the Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital in Gaza.
The IDF officials also revealed a phone call they had intercepted, establishing that Hamas immediately knew that the hospital was hit by a PIJ rocket fired from within Gaza, but it chose to launch a media campaign blaming Israel.
Transcript of the conversation between two terrorists in #GazaCity acknowledging that it was their own rocket that misfired & that it was launched from an area right by the #hospital pic.twitter.com/CXkG4rGeEO
— Tammy Ben-Haim (@tammybenhaim) October 18, 2023
Addressing a press briefing, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said, “According to our intelligence, Hamas checked the reports, understood it was an Islamic Jihad rocket that had misfired, and then decided to launch a global media campaign to hide what really happened.”
IDF spokesperson shares aerial pictures showing evidence damage was caused by a rocket misfire and not an IDF airstrike, and reveals a phone call exposing Hamas knew immediately that the hospital was hit by a PIJ rocket and chose to launch a media campaign against Israel pic.twitter.com/OMyxdG9tYu
— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) October 18, 2023
In the press briefing, the IDF spokesperson also shared aerial pictures showing evidence that damage was caused to the adjoining structures by PIJ’s rocket misfire and not an IDF airstrike. He asserted, “Analysis of our aerial footage confirms that there was no direct hit to the hospital itself, the only damage is outside the hospital in the parking lot.”
During the presser, the IDF official also showed pictures of the hospital’s scorched parking lot. Regarding the damage in the parking lot, Hagari stated that the damage to the hospital’s parking lot was caused by the rocket impact and due to the large amount of rocket fuel that was still in the projectile as it fell short.
He pointed out that had it been an Israeli airstrike, “we would have seen craters and structural damage to the building, both of which were not identified in this incident.”
The IDF official also showed pictures of some Israeli airstrikes in which massive craters, having diameters in metres, could be easily seen. Whereas, in the Hospital attack in Gaza, there is no visible sign of formation of any crater or significant structural damage to the buildings.
Further, Hagari, briefing the international media in English, read out a translated transcript of an intercepted call between two Hamas officials. As per the transcript, Hamas cadre talked about the failed Islamic Jihad rocket that hit the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, following a barrage launched from a cemetery in Gaza, The Times of Israel reported.
BREAKING: 🇮🇱 IDF releases a recording of an intercepted phone call between two fighters discussing failure of Islamic Jihad rocket that landed on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital.
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) October 18, 2023
Highlighting the evidence, the IDF spokesman accused the Hamas terror group of purposely misleading international media outlets on this issue.
Taking to X, the IDF stated, “A failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation hit the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City. IAF footage from the area around the hospital before and after the failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation.”
A failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization hit the Al Ahli hospital in Gaza City.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 18, 2023
IAF footage from the area around the hospital before and after the failed rocket launch by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization: pic.twitter.com/AvCAkQULAf
It is important to note that Israel has deployed the Iron Dome defence system to neutralise the barrage of Hamas rocket attacks that lack precision and target residential areas. On account of cost disparity, Iron Dome lets a majority of these unguided Hamas rockets fall on barren lands rather than countering it mid-air. Historically, rockets misfired by Hamas have landed on their own enclave killing civilians.
Conspicuously, since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, Israeli Defence Forces have been sharing video footage of precision airstrikes and in many instances, IDF had warned Gazans to evacuate the buildings/structures it planned to target minutes later.
Based on the analysis of aerial footage available before and after the attack, particularly in the daylight, many experts have emphasised that it was most likely a case of a misfired rocket from within Gaza that damaged the hospital parking lot.
Notably, even clay tiles and scaffoldings in the immediate vicinity have been left undamaged, which is quite impossible in case of an aerial strike, many noted.
First video in daylight of the Al-Ahly hospital.
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 18, 2023
It looks like the parking lot in front of the hospital took the main hit. pic.twitter.com/p8yBM80GRi
To back it up, they have highlighted that in the videos of the aftermath of the attack, several delicate structures like awnings, solar panels, etc are still standing, which would not have been the case if it had been hit by aerial ammunition. Due to greater impact and precision, the airstrikes cause significant damage to buildings and often demolish the target building completely.
⭕ LIVE: Israeli air attacks have killed hundreds of Palestinians in al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City where thousands are seeking medical treatment and shelter from heavy bombardment. https://t.co/w1rEnOjrRJ
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) October 17, 2023
Independent experts who have matched geolocations and timing data with the structures present in Gaza, have also confirmed that the blast in the hospital seems to have been from withing Gaza, not very far away from the hospital.
GeoConfirmed ISR-PAL.
— GeoConfirmed (@GeoConfirmed) October 17, 2023
A missile launched by Palestinian Groups exploded mid-air and one of the pieces fell on the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital's yard.
31.504822, 34.46169
Before reacting READ our thread.https://t.co/qbpUGQk89o
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Further, several community notes on Twitter had highlighted that footage captured during Al Jazeera reporting from that area caught a rocket misfire in Gaza at around 18:59 (local time) which is incidentally the time of the attack on Al-Ahli hospital being reported in all International media outlets.
Transcript of the conversation between Hamas terrorists, as revealed by IDF
The audio of the phone conversation by 2 Hamas members was shared by IDF.
Islamic Jihad struck a Hospital in Gaza—the IDF did not.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 18, 2023
Listen to the terrorists as they realize this themselves: pic.twitter.com/u7WyU8Rxwz
Person 1: I’m telling you this is the first time that we see a missile like this falling and so that’s why we are saying it belongs to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Person 2: What?
P1: They are are saying it belongs to PIJ
P2: It’s from us?
P1: It looks like it!
P2: Who says this?
P1: They are saying that the shrapnel from the missile is local shrapnel and not like Israeli shrapnel
P2: What are you saying (Name)?
P1: But God Bless, it couldn’t have found another place to explode?
P2: Nevermind, yes, (Name), they shot it from the cemetery behind the hospital
P1: What?!
P2: They shot it coming from the cemetery behind the Al-Ma’amadani Hospital, and it misfired and fell on them
P1: There’s a cemetery behind it?
P2: Yes, Al-Ma’amadani is exactly in the compound
P1: Where is it when you enter the compound?
P2: You first enter the compound and don’t go towards the city and it’s on the right side of the Al-Ma’amadani Hospital
P1: Yes I know
It is notable here that Hamas and Al Jazeera were prompt to blame the hospital blast on Israel’s air strikes, drawing condemnation from around the world for the IDF. Jordan has canceled the scheduled meeting with US President Joe Biden with Jordan’s king Abdullah, Egyptian President El Sisi, and President of the Palestinian authority Mahmound Abbas after the news of the hospital tragedy broke. Hamas supporters in Lebanon also attacked the US embassy in Beirut.
