On Tuesday night, a missile struck the compound of the Al-Ahli Arabi hospital in Gaza City, with a massive explosion being seen and heard, killing at least 300. Other reports put the number at over 500, and some at over 800 or 1,000.

Following the strike, French President, Emmanuel Macron, stated on X that “Nothing can justify striking a hospital. Nothing can justify targeting civilians. France condemns the attack on the Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, which made so many Palestinian victims. Our thoughts are with them. All the light must be shed on the circumstances.”

He then stated in a following post that “Humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip must be opened without delay”, acknowledging the necessity for Israel and Egypt to allow the massive inflow of humanitarian aid and convoys – which are awaiting access – to enter the besieged Territory.

A statement by France’s Foreign Ministry also stressed that “International humanitarian law is binding on all and must allow for the protection of civilian populations. Humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip must be opened without delay.”

Following the strike, Israel denied its responsibility and instead blamed the Palestinian Resistance group, Hamas, for a rocket misfire, which the group rejected, in turn. There also ensued fierce debate online regarding whether an Israeli-fired American JDAM munition struck the hospital or a rocket fired by Hamas or Islamic Jihad.

Tel Aviv’s claim has been debunked by weapons expert and US Army veteran, Dylan Griffith, who told Middle East Monitor that the footage and sound of the hospital strike bear the markers of a US JDAM munitions strike – the likes of which have been seen in strikes on Afghanistan and which have been provided to Israeli forces – in comparison to the smaller munitions generally used by Hamas and other Gazan groups.

Source: Middle East Monitor