Shillong, October 19: In a brief visit to war-torn Israel, President Joe Biden expressed his belief that the explosion at the Gaza hospital was the result of an accidental rocket fired by a Gaza-based terrorist group.
As per India Today, shortly after Biden’s statement, the United States officially assessed that Israel was not responsible for the tragic incident.
White House National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson released a statement, saying, “The US government’s assessment is that Israel was not involved in the explosion that claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians at the Al Ahli Hospital in the Gaza Strip. Our evaluation is based on various sources, including intelligence reports, missile activity data, overhead imagery, and publicly available videos and images of the incident.”
Conflicting claims had emerged regarding the incident, with many Arab leaders initially attributing blame to Israel. Hamas officials in Gaza accused an Israeli airstrike and reported numerous casualties.
However, Israel refuted these allegations and provided evidence, including video and audio materials, suggesting that the explosion was a result of a rocket misfire by Islamic Jihad, another Gaza-based terrorist organization. Islamic Jihad, in turn, dismissed this claim.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to visit Israel and nearby countries to engage in diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating the crisis triggered by Hamas attacks. Sunak is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog on Thursday, where he will condemn Hamas’s “horrific act of terror” and express condolences for the loss of life in both Israel and Gaza.
President Joe Biden concluded his 7.5-hour visit to Israel by drawing a parallel between the recent Hamas assault and the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States. He urged for justice but cautioned against being consumed by rage, highlighting the lessons learned from the aftermath of 9/11.
Additionally, he stated that he was not suggesting that Hamas deliberately targeted the Gaza hospital.