Israel - Hamas War : Who Attacked Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza ?
Was Israeli fire directed at the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza? Or was it hit by a Palestinian missile that misfired? What number of civilians perished? The guilt for this week's tragic attack on the Christian-run hospital has been shared by Israelis and Palestinians. After conducting interviews with analysts and weapons specialists and analyzing verifiable photographs, the AFP did not categorically rule out any scenario.
WHAT DO AVAILABLE IMAGES SHOW?
AFP was able to confirm a video from the Al Jazeera news station in Gaza that captures the precise time of an explosion at Ahli Arab Hospital on tuesday at 6:59 p.m. (1559 GMT). The same scenario was also recorded on Israeli surveillance camera footage.
The now-viral video shows a missile shooting into the sky and then abruptly vanishing into thin air. Using geolocation techniques, AFP was able to confirm that two explosions took place on the ground less than ten seconds later, one of which was on the grounds of the hospital in Gaza's northern district.
AFP was able to confirm a video from the Al Jazeera news station in Gaza that captures the precise time of an explosion at Ahli Arab Hospital on tuesday at 6:59 p.m. (1559 GMT). The same scenario was also recorded on Israeli surveillance camera footage.
The now-viral video shows a missile shooting into the sky and then abruptly vanishing into thin air. Using geolocation techniques, AFP was able to confirm that two explosions took place on the ground less than ten seconds later, one of which was on the grounds of the hospital in Gaza's northern district.
Additional footage, which was posted online following the explosion and confirmed by AFP, shows a number of vehicles burning in the hospital's parking lot, a mound of rubble, and multiple bodies—including some of the children's—lying on the ground.
Cars in the parking lot are burned in AFP footage taken at the hospital the next day.
There was a grass next to the parking lot that was covered with bloodstains and scattered with clothing and other personal items, suggesting that someone had been there.
The buildings in the area have a lot of shattered windows.
There were visible impact traces on the ground, including a minor crater at least.
Authorities in Gaza claim that hundreds of ill and injured individuals as well as civilians who had sought safety were kept at the location.
"As we were working, there was a loud explosion and the operating room ceiling fell in. Medecins Sans Frontieres' Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah described the situation as a slaughter.
Individuals were dispersed across the grounds and beneath the trees. All of a sudden, everything became dark, and there were corpses and blood all across Gaza, Mohammed Qriq, a local, told AFP.
Another person named Waleed added, "We came here because we were afraid of bombings," referring to the hospital.
"The entire place felt like it was bombed, like a rocket hit it." We left for other neighbouring locations. The bodies of women, children, and elderly people were in pieces.
Cars in the parking lot are burned in AFP footage taken at the hospital the next day.
There was a grass next to the parking lot that was covered with bloodstains and scattered with clothing and other personal items, suggesting that someone had been there.
The buildings in the area have a lot of shattered windows.
There were visible impact traces on the ground, including a minor crater at least.
Authorities in Gaza claim that hundreds of ill and injured individuals as well as civilians who had sought safety were kept at the location.
"As we were working, there was a loud explosion and the operating room ceiling fell in. Medecins Sans Frontieres' Dr. Ghassan Abu Sittah described the situation as a slaughter.
Individuals were dispersed across the grounds and beneath the trees. All of a sudden, everything became dark, and there were corpses and blood all across Gaza, Mohammed Qriq, a local, told AFP.
Another person named Waleed added, "We came here because we were afraid of bombings," referring to the hospital.
"The entire place felt like it was bombed, like a rocket hit it." We left for other neighbouring locations. The bodies of women, children, and elderly people were in pieces.