What We Know About the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital Blast
Alison Weir | n the midst of Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza that had killed over 3,000 people and injured over 12,000, a Gaza hospital experienced a blast that killed hundreds more… | On October 17th a blast at al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, a Christian-run medical complex in central Gaza City, killed at least 200 to 300 people and injured hundreds more. ● The estimated death toll in Gaza at the time of the blast was already more than 3,000, with 12,500 injured. NBC reported that even before the blast, Gaza hospitals faced “a ‘tsunami of wounded’ as supplies and power ran out.” This was on top of a 16-year suffocating siege on Gaza (which had already experienced intermittent devastating blockades since at least 2002). The Israeli death toll is 1,400, with 4,000 injured. ● Israel, at first tacitly admitted responsibility for hitting the hospital in its ongoing airstrikes against Gaza, but then switched direction and claimed that Palestinian “friendly fire” was responsible. Israeli officials have presented what they say is evidence showing that the massive damage was caused by misfired Palestinian rocketry. Israel has changed its version a number of times. ● Many Palestinian officials and other observers have disputed the Israeli assertion, especially given that Israel had previously warned that Gaza hospitals would be damaged by its forces. In fact, Israel had already bombed the hospital a few days earlier, on Saturday, October 14.
■ Over 500 killed in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza’s Baptist Hospital
■ Israeli doctors urge the bombing of Gaza hospitals (Mondoweiss)