Last Updated on October 18, 2023 9: 39am
Gaza: A massive explosion struck a Gaza City hospital that was crowded with wounded Palestinians seeking refuge, resulting in at least 500 deaths. But the attack is now turned into a blame game.
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Hamas attributed the incident to an Israeli airstrike, while the Israeli military attributed it to a rocket misfired by Palestinian militants unaffiliated with Hamas,
According to the Health Ministry controlled by Hamas, the incident claimed the lives of hundreds of individuals.
The death toll, as reported by the ministry, reached at least 500 people.
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President Joe Biden had plans to travel to the Middle East to work towards ending the escalating conflict.
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However, Jordan’s foreign minister announced the cancellation of a regional summit scheduled for Wednesday in Amman, where Biden was to meet with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
The Jordanian foreign minister expressed concerns that the war between Israel and Hamas was pushing the region dangerously close to the brink of catastrophe.
He stated that Jordan would host the summit only if all parties agreed that its purpose would be to halt the hostilities, uphold the dignity and well-being of the Palestinian people, and ensure the delivery of the humanitarian aid they urgently require.
As a result of these developments, President Biden adjusted his plans and will now visit only Israel, as confirmed by a White House official.
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The explosion at the al-Ahli Hospital left a scene of devastation.
Video footage of the hospital building engulfed in flames and the grounds covered in the bodies of victims, including many young children went viral on the media.
Surrounding the area were scattered blankets, school backpacks, and personal belongings.
This tragic event unfolded at a time when the United States was actively engaged in urging Israel to permit the delivery of supplies to the beleaguered civilians, aid organizations, and hospitals in the besieged Gaza Strip.
The region has been under a complete blockade since a violent incident involving Hamas in southern Israel the previous week, leaving hundreds of thousands of increasingly desperate individuals in search of basic necessities.