Hundreds of people have been killed by an explosion at a crowded hospital in Gaza City, health officials say.
One doctor condemned what he called “a massacre” at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, while another spoke of a scene of total devastation.Palestinian officials say the blast was caused by an Israeli air strike.
But the Israeli military say it was the result of a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad – an accusation the militant group rejected.
Israeli warplanes and artillery have been bombarding Gaza in response to an unprecedented attack on Israel on 7 October by the main Palestinian militant group, Hamas, which killed 1,300 people.More than 3,000 people have been reported killed by strikes on Gaza.
The hospital blast is threatening efforts to resolve the humanitarian crisis there, with Jordan cancelling a planned summit on Wednesday between US President Joe Biden, King Abdullah and the Palestinian and Egyptian leaders.
Mr Biden is still travelling to Tel Aviv to show his country’s “solidarity with Israel” and “ironclad commitment to its security”.
Credit: BBC News Africa
