During his recent visit to Israel following a devastating explosion at a Gaza Strip hospital, U.S. President Joe Biden stated his belief that Hamas was potentially responsible for the Tuesday incident.
Drawing from data he received from the U.S. Defense Department, Biden said, “Based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you,” signifying his inclination toward Hamas as the cause behind the explosion.
The blast that killed at least 500 people has given rise to massive protests throughout various Arab nations, with debates surfacing about its origin.
While Israel’s defense points to a misfired rocket from Palestinian militants, apparently backed by radar and video evidence, Islamic Jihad challenges this, mentioning prior strikes on the hospital.
Moreover, However, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain have blamed Israel for the bombing, according to The Times of Israel.
On Wednesday, Palestinian Hamas movement representative Fawzi Barhoum promised to provide “evidence” of Israel’s involvement in the strike.
“There is a lot of evidence, eyewitnesses, and videos from Hamas about the occupation committing the Baptist Hospital massacre and the wreckage of rockets,” he said. “Hamas will publish all the evidence to the world that confirms this massacre was committed intentionally, and will present it to international jurisdictions.”
“The Baptist Hospital massacre was committed with Israeli guided missiles and came hours after the Israeli Shin Bet contacted hospital officials more than once, and threatened to bomb the hospital,” Barhoum added.
President Biden’s trip to Israel aligns with the mounting humanitarian crises in Gaza, exacerbated by Israel’s limitations on essentials like food, fuel, and water.
Amid these challenges, Biden highlighted the broader narrative that “Hamas does not represent all the Palestinian people, and it has brought them only suffering.”
He voiced the urgent need to support innocent Palestinians, asserting the necessity of “encouraging life-saving capacity to help the Palestinians who are innocent, caught in the middle of this.”
Biden’s commitment to Israel was further solidified in his response to the devastating Hamas attack on Oct 7, which resulted in 1,400 casualties.
He assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his administration’s unwavering support, stating, “I want you to know you’re not alone. We will continue to have Israel’s back as you work to defend your people.”
Netanyahu reciprocated Biden’s sentiments, directing global anger not towards Israel, but the perpetrators.
He stated, “The entire world was rightfully outraged but this outrage should be directed not at Israel but at the terrorists.”
Underlining the importance of unity against threats, he urged, “The civilized world must unite to defeat Hamas.”
Following the tragic explosion, several nations have proclaimed official periods of mourning, CNN reports.
Syria: Announced a three-day public mourning period beginning October 18.
Egypt: Declared a state of general mourning for three days, starting Wednesday.
Iran: Proclaimed a three-day countrywide mourning period on Tuesday, remarking it as a tribute to “the innocent souls who fell victim to international silence before falling victim to the fire of barbaric aggression.”
Jordan: Initiated three days of mourning on Tuesday in remembrance of the victims of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital explosion and those lost in Gaza.
Lebanon: Designated Wednesday as a national day of mourning.
Mauritania: On Tuesday, instituted a three-day period of national mourning post the hospital explosion. The nation also appealed to the global community to urgently address what they referred to as the “genocide” of the Palestinians.
Gaza: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared a three-day mourning period on Tuesday to honor the blast’s victims.
