Jordan Ellis
On October 17, 2023, an explosion occurred at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, killing and injuring many civilians. The cause of the explosion is disputed. While Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) claim that it was caused by an Israeli airstrike, Israel, the US, France, the UK, and Canada maintain that their intelligence indicates that the explosion was caused by a failed rocket launch by PIJ. The IDF has released a recording of what it says is an intercepted conversation between two Hamas militants acknowledging that the hospital was hit by a projectile fired by PIJ. However, PIJ has denied any involvement and blamed Israel for the blast. The New York Times has reported that there appears to have been Israeli bombardment in the area, but Israel has declined to share logs of its military activity. The truth remains elusive amid the conflicting claims and limited access to the blast site.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of explosion | 17 October 2023 |
| Location | Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, also known as Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, in Gaza City |
| Fatalities | 471, per the Ministry of Health in Gaza; other estimates range from 100-300 |
| Cause of explosion | Disputed; Israel, the US, France, the UK, and Canada blame a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ); Hamas and PIJ blame an Israeli airstrike |
| Evidence | Israel released radar data showing rockets fired from within Gaza on a trajectory towards the hospital; the IDF also released an alleged recording of Hamas militants blaming PIJ; Hamas and PIJ claim Israeli warnings to evacuate the hospital prior to the explosion indicate Israeli responsibility |
| Past incidents | There are documented instances of Hamas rockets misfiring and striking civilian areas in Gaza; Hamas has also been accused of using hospitals as shields and launching rockets from within hospital premises |
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What You'll Learn
The Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion
On 17 October 2023, an explosion occurred at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, also known as the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, in Gaza City. The hospital was crowded, with about 1,000 displaced Gazans seeking refuge there, in addition to about 600 patients and staff inside the hospital buildings. The blast occurred in a courtyard of the hospital at 6:59 p.m. local time, resulting in a large number of casualties. The exact number of fatalities has not been independently verified, with estimates ranging from 100 to 500 or more.
The cause of the explosion is disputed. The Hamas-controlled Palestinian authorities in Gaza immediately blamed Israel, alleging it was a deliberate airstrike. However, Israel has denied responsibility and presented evidence suggesting that the explosion was caused by a failed rocket launch from within Gaza, pointing to radar data and video footage. Social media posts from Palestinian militants also indicated rocket fire around the time of the explosion.
U.S., French, and Israeli intelligence assessments initially supported the claim that a stray rocket fired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a militant group associated with Hamas, was responsible for the blast. This assessment was based on overhead imagery, intercepts, and open-source information. The Associated Press, CNN, The Economist, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal also concluded that an errant rocket from Gaza was the most likely explanation.
However, other analyses have disputed this claim. The New York Times, Le Monde, and the BBC questioned the interpretation of the Al Jazeera footage, suggesting that the rocket in the video was Israeli and too far from the hospital to have caused the explosion. The New York Times analysis identified the rocket as a malfunctioning long-range missile fired from an Israeli position near Nahal Oz, exploding over the border and unrelated to the hospital blast. The BBC acknowledged that its initial live coverage, which speculated about an Israeli airstrike, was mistaken.
Human Rights Watch investigated the strike and found that the evidence available, including the sound preceding the explosion, the fireball, the size of the resulting crater, and the fragmentation pattern, was more consistent with the impact of a rocket-propelled munition commonly used by Palestinian armed groups. However, they could not conclusively identify the type of munition and called for further investigation into who launched the rocket and whether the laws of war were violated.
The conflicting claims and counterclaims in the aftermath of the explosion at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital highlight the challenges of determining the truth in the midst of an information war between Israel and Gaza. The incident underscores the need for thorough investigations and adherence to international humanitarian law, which grants special protection to medical facilities, even in times of conflict.
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Conflicting reports and evidence
Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) initially claimed that the explosion was caused by an Israeli airstrike. They argued that Israel struck the hospital as punishment for failing to evacuate. However, Israel, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada disputed this, stating that their intelligence sources indicated that the explosion was caused by a failed rocket launch from within Gaza, specifically by the PIJ.
The Associated Press (AP) conducted an analysis of the incident and concluded that the explosion was likely caused by a rocket launched from within Gaza that misfired. This assessment was supported by U.S. and French intelligence officials, who determined that a stray rocket fired from Gaza struck the hospital. However, the AP's updated analysis, which included new video evidence, suggested that the rocket in question may not have been close enough to the hospital to be responsible for the explosion.
Adding to the complexity, Israel released evidence from its radar stations tracking rockets fired from within Gaza on the evening of the explosion, following trajectories that could have reached the hospital's location. Social media posts from Palestinian militants, including Hamas' military wing, also referenced rocket fire around the time of the explosion. However, the specific cause and responsibility for the blast remain under investigation, with organisations such as BBC Verify and Human Rights Watch analysing evidence and calling for further information from both Israeli and Palestinian authorities.
While the truth remains elusive, the conflicting reports and evidence highlight the challenges of gathering definitive proof in active conflict zones. The incident has also been characterised as part of a wider information war, with both sides presenting differing accounts and interpretations of the available evidence.
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Israel denies responsibility
Israel has denied responsibility for the explosion at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, also known as the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, in Gaza City. The blast occurred on 17 October 2023, during the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel. It is believed that around 1,000 displaced Gazans were sheltering in the hospital grounds, in addition to 600 patients and staff inside the hospital buildings.
Israel's President Isaac Herzog referred to the accusation that Israel hit the hospital as a "blood libel". He wrote:
> "An Islamic Jihad missile has killed many Palestinians at a Gazan hospital — a place where lives should be saved. Shame on the media who swallow the lies of Hamas and Islamic Jihad — broadcasting a 21st-century blood libel around the globe. Shame on the vile terrorists in Gaza who wilfully spill the blood of the innocent."
The Israeli military has stated that the explosion was caused by a misfired Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) rocket. They claim that the rocket was fired from within Gaza and that it was not close enough to the hospital to have caused the explosion. The IDF said:
> "From an analysis of the IDF’s operational systems, an enemy rocket barrage was carried out towards Israel, which passed in the vicinity of the hospital, when it was hit... According to intelligence information, from several sources we have, the PIJ organization is responsible for the failed [rocket] fire that hit the hospital."
The IDF also stated that it did not conduct any operations in the area at the time of the explosion. Israel has released evidence from its radar stations tracking rockets fired from within Gaza on the evening of 17 October, which were on trajectories that would have taken them over the Gaza City neighbourhood where the hospital is located.
U.S. intelligence officials have concurred with Israel's assessment, stating that their "current assessment, based on analysis of overhead imagery, intercepts and open-source information, is that Israel is not responsible for the explosion at the hospital in Gaza".
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Hamas and PIJ blame Israel
On 17 October 2023, an explosion occurred at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, also known as the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, in Gaza City. The hospital was harbouring about 1,000 displaced Gazans, in addition to about 600 patients and staff. The cause of the explosion is disputed.
Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) have blamed Israel for the explosion. Hamas stated that Israel struck the hospital as punishment for the failure to evacuate. PIJ has denied responsibility, drawing attention to the fact that Israel had also hit the hospital on 14 October and previously ordered its evacuation.
However, Israel, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada have asserted that their intelligence sources indicate that the explosion was caused by a failed rocket launch from within Gaza by PIJ. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that it did not conduct any operations in the area at the time of the impact. The IDF also stated that an analysis of its operational systems showed that a rocket barrage was carried out towards Israel, which passed in the vicinity of the hospital when it was hit.
The Associated Press (AP) initially assessed that the explosion was likely caused by a rocket launched from within Gaza that misfired, and this assessment has not changed. AP's updated analysis found that the most likely scenario is still that the medical facility was struck by a Palestinian rocket that went astray. This was supported by footage that showed Palestinian militants launching multiple rockets from inside Gaza on a trajectory that would have taken them over the Gaza City neighbourhood where the hospital is located.
U.S. officials said that they had collected "high confidence" signals intelligence indicating that PIJ was responsible. Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the United States National Security Council, said that their "current assessment, based on analysis of overhead imagery, intercepts and open-source information, is that Israel is not responsible for the explosion at the hospital in Gaza".
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Human Rights Watch findings
Human Rights Watch (HRW) found that the explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City on 17 October 2023 resulted from a rocket-propelled munition that hit the hospital grounds. The munition landed in a paved area inside the hospital compound, between a parking lot and a landscaped area where civilians had gathered to seek safety from Israeli strikes. While HRW could not conclusively identify the munition type, they stated that the sound preceding the explosion, the accompanying fireball, the size of the resulting crater, and the fragmentation pattern were consistent with a rocket impact.
HRW noted that the possibility of a large air-dropped bomb was highly unlikely, given the absence of certain indicators. They emphasized the need for further investigation to determine who launched the rocket and whether the laws of war were violated. HRW called on authorities in Gaza and Israel to release evidence, including munition remnants, to facilitate a comprehensive investigation.
In response to HRW's inquiries, Bassam Naim, the head of Hamas' political and foreign relations department, asserted that preliminary information pointed to Israel's responsibility. Naim claimed that Israeli authorities had warned the hospital to evacuate before the explosion, implying foreknowledge. However, HRW also acknowledged the likelihood of a Palestinian rocket, stating that such a rocket could inflict a high number of casualties if it struck an area packed with people.
HRW's findings align with reports from various media outlets and intelligence agencies, which concluded that a stray rocket fired from within Gaza by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) was responsible for the explosion. This assessment was based on video evidence, intelligence sources, and the trajectory of rockets launched during the conflict. Social media posts from Palestinian militants also referenced rocket fire around the time of the explosion.
HRW's investigation highlights the complexity of determining responsibility for the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital explosion. While the evidence suggests a rocket strike, the ongoing information war between Israel and Hamas, characterized by counterclaims and misinformation, complicates the process of establishing definitive conclusions.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear whether a Hamas rocket hit the hospital. While some sources claim that Hamas was responsible for the explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, also known as Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital, in Gaza City, others attribute the blast to a misfired rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a militant group working with Hamas.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have released a recording of what they claim is an intercepted conversation between two Hamas militants, in which they acknowledge that the hospital was hit by a projectile fired by PIJ. Additionally, the IDF stated that Hamas used tunnels under the European Hospital in southern Gaza as a command center during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
Some sources, including the Gaza Health Ministry and PIJ, argue that the explosion was caused by an Israeli airstrike. The Hamas-controlled Palestinian authorities in Gaza also blamed Israel, claiming it was a deliberate airstrike. However, Israel has denied involvement.
The death toll from the explosion is disputed. The Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem, which manages the hospital, reported 200 deaths, while the US assessment estimated between 100 and 300 fatalities. The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported even higher figures, with 471 killed and 342 injured.
The explosion at Al-Ahli hospital is one of many strikes damaging medical facilities in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of civilians and medical professionals and denying Palestinians access to critical medical care. The conflict between Hamas and Israel has also involved an information war, with both sides providing differing accounts of the explosion.
