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But Israel claimed radar data, satellite and drone footage plus audio made it \u201cclear\u201d the missile was launched from inside the Palestinian enclave. The Israel Defence Forces said: \u201cThe hospital was hit as a result of a failed rocket launched by the Islamic Jihad. The terrorist organisations within the Gaza Strip fire \u00adindiscriminately toward Israel. Islamic Jihad struck a hospital in Gaza \u2013 the IDF did not.\u201d<\/p>\n
The al-Ahli hospital was full of civilians sheltering from strikes ordered by the Jerusalem regime in retaliation for Hamas\u2019 bloodbath invasion of southern Israel.<\/p>\n
Hamas denied responsibility and accused Israel of lying but the IDF maintains it did not fire any munitions into or close to the area at the time on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
But it subsequently released a dossier of intelligence purporting to show the rocket, believed to have been aimed at the northern Israeli city of Haifa, was launched from the enclave.<\/p>\n
In a wiretapped conversation released by the IDF two alleged terrorists also appear to confirm it came from Palestinian Islamic Jihad – a splinter terror cell operating from Gaza.<\/p>\n
One says: \u201cThey are saying (the rocket) belongs to Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It\u2019s from us?\u201d<\/p>\n
Another replies: \u201cIt looks like it. It misfired and fell on them…God bless – couldn\u2019t it have found another place to explode?\u201d<\/p>\n
The footage and recording was released to the world because \u201csomeone is doing a fake on us, on Israel,\u201d Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, IDF spokesman said.<\/p>\n
The IDF said: \u201cFollowing an additional review and cross-examination of the operational and intelligence systems, it is clear Israel did not strike the hospital in Gaza.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollowing an analysis by the IDF\u2019s operational systems, a barrage of rockets was launched toward Israel, which passed in the vicinity of the hospital, when it was hit.<\/p>\n
\u201cAccording to intelligence information from a number of sources we have, Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation is responsible for the failed rocket launch that hit the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
READ MORE: <\/strong> Biden’s work has only just begun, says Esther Krakue<\/strong><\/p>\n Video appeared to capture the moment the rocket appears to head towards Israel only to suffer a malfunction and change course. It remains unclear why.<\/p>\n Seconds later a pair of explosions erupt below in what Israel says was the moment the rocket struck the hospital.<\/p>\n The facility in northern Gaza was being used to treat and shelter thousands of civilians as Israel continued its aerial bombardment to lay waste to the terror cells behind the bloody incursion mounted on October 7. The hospital was previously hit by Israeli rocket fire on October 14 leaving four members of staff wounded.<\/p>\n The catastrophe had immediate global repercussions and now threatens to escalate the cross-border conflict into a regional and worldwide war.<\/p>\n Hamas described the tragedy a \u201ccrime of genocide\u201d and blamed Israel, denying it was responsible.<\/p>\n The militant group said: \u201cThe horrific massacre carried out by the Zionist occupation in the Gaza City\u2019s Al-Ahli hospital which left hundreds of casualties, most of them displaced families, patients, children and women, is a crime of genocide that once again reveals the ugly face of this criminal enemy and its fascist and terrorist government.<\/p>\n \u201cThis also exposes the American and western support for this criminal occupation.\u201d<\/p>\n There has been no independent verification of who was responsible.<\/p>\n We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\n Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said \u201cbarbaric terrorists\u201d in Gaza bombed the hospital, reiterating Israel\u2019s military was not responsible.<\/p>\n Israeli MP Danny Danon, a former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said: \u201cWe looked into the footage – it was a barrage of rockets that came from Gaza into our cities in Israel. One of the rockets malfunctioned, exploded above the skies of Gaza, and the fragments of the explosion landed in a yard of a hospital. In that yard, there was a pile of explosives, and that\u2019s why we have the number of casualties.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you want to be exact it was Islamic Jihad who launched the rocket, and if you want to be more exact in the detail, the rocket was a heavy rocket that was targeting the city of Haifa in Israel, a northern city, with a huge rocket. You cannot blame us for a rocket that was targeted at us and fell on Gaza. Hamas is killing not only Israeli kids, they are killing their own kids in Gaza.\u201d<\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> The bombing of the Anglican Church hospital – a seemingly off-limits sanctuary for victims of the conflict – was the deadliest single event of the Israel-Hamas war so far.<\/p>\n Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the blast resulted in a \u201cdevastating loss of human life\u201d and vowed the UK would continue work to \u201cprotect innocent civilian lives in Gaza\u201d.<\/p>\n Appealing for calm he said \u201ctoo many jumped to conclusions\u201d, adding: \u201cGetting this wrong would put even more lives at risk. Wait for the facts, report them clearly and accurately. Cool heads must prevail.\u201d<\/p>\n His words aimed at diffusing the powder keg situation came as fury erupted with Iran publicly stating Israel\u2019s \u201ctime is up\u201d and Tehran-backed terror group Hezbollah calling for a \u201cday of rage\u201d.<\/p>\n Turkey, Iran, Jordan, Qatar and the World Health Organisation all condemned the tragedy.<\/p>\n Protesters gathered in Ramallah and Hebron and former Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal called on supporters to demonstrate outside Israeli embassies.<\/p>\n Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said the assault was \u201can appalling and devastating loss of innocent lives\u201d.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cThe Al-Ahli Hospital is run by the Anglican church. I mourn with our brothers and sisters – please pray for them.\u201d<\/p>\n The cross-border war erupted on October 7 after heavily-armed jihadists mounted a murder spree, laying waste to entire communities as they rampaged through the streets indiscriminately going door-to-door killing all who stood in their way.<\/p>\n The attack and subsequent tit-for-tat bombings has left more than 1,400 Israelis dead, including 260 who perished at the Nova Festival in Sderot near the border. Some 200 more were captured, beaten and taken to Gaza. Palestine claims 3,000 of its people are dead and at least 12,500 wounded.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.images.express.co.uk\/img\/dynamic\/78\/590x\/secondary\/5020340.jpg?r=1697660069582\")
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