Gaza hospital strike a humanitarian disaster – Putin
The attack on Al-Ahli Arab Hospital on Tuesday left several hundred people dead | The strike on a Gaza hospital that left hundreds dead should serve as a signal both to Palestinian armed groups and Israel to end the hostilities, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. ● Speaking to journalists at China’s Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, Putin described the powerful explosion that rocked Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, killing at least 500 people according to local authorities, as a “tragedy” and a “terrible incident.” ● “Hundreds of dead and wounded, of course, this is a catastrophe... especially in a humanitarian place. I expect this to be a signal that this conflict should end as soon as possible. In any case, it should lead to the start of some kind of contacts and negotiations,” he said.
■ LIVE: Israel accused of committing a ‘crime of genocide’ after hospital bombing, which killed hundreds (MEE)
■ Dmitry Medvedev (Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council) | The monstrous attack on the hospital in the Gaza Strip is certainly a war crime. And the final responsibility for it lies with those who cynically capitalize on wars in different countries and on different continents. Who recklessly hand out huge sums of money for weapons, loading their military-industrial complex. Who falsely broadcast their global mission to protect democratic values. The United States of America. (T)