Fatal Blast at Gaza Hospital Linked to Palestinian Islamic Jihad Rocket as IDF Confirms Source of Tragedy in Hospital Explosion.

The IDF has disclosed that a deadly explosion at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza was caused by a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). According to IDF officials, intelligence data and operational analysis indicated that a rocket fired as part of an enemy barrage aimed against Israel passed close to the hospital and malfunctioned, resulting in the terrible tragedy.

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The incident happened during a period of significant escalation in conflict, with Palestinian terrorists in Gaza unleashing a barrage of rockets against southern and central Israel. The IDF stressed that several intelligence sources have pointed to the PIJ as being responsible for the rocket that targeted the hospital.

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This incident highlights the dangers of launching rockets from within Gaza’s residential neighborhoods, as it puts civilians at danger. Several rockets fell short inside Gaza during the May 2021 conflict, resulting in deaths among the Palestinian populace.

In retaliation to the event, Hamas’ Izzad-Din al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for launching a long-range rocket at the northern Israeli city of Haifa. The terror organization has a history of launching rockets from civilian places such as hospitals and public buildings.

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Hamas has labeled the act a “crime of genocide” and urged Arab and Islamic nations to intervene. In response to the tragedy, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has postponed a meeting with US Vice President Joe Biden, Jordanian King Abdullah II, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Abbas has announced three days of mourning and ordered that all PLO flags be flown at half-mast throughout Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.