Israel, Hamas trade accusations over Gaza hospital tragedy

A devastating explosion at the Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist hospital in Gaza has claimed the lives of at least 500 people, leading to a fierce blame game between Israel and Hamas. 

Israeli officials have attributed the tragedy to a "misfired rocket" launched by the Islamic Jihad group, an ally of Hamas. 

The Israeli army, citing intelligence from multiple sources, asserted that the failed rocket launch responsible for the hospital strike did not match their equipment. "During the time of the strike, Israel was not conducting any aerial operations near the hospital," said Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari at a press conference.

In contrast, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry squarely placed the blame on Israeli airstrikes. According to Reuters, quoting health ministry sources, at least 500 people lost their lives in the hospital bombing.

The incident has sparked international condemnation and heightened tensions in the region.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the deadly airstrike, calling it a "horrific" attack.

The World Health Organization labelled the hospital strike as "unprecedented in its scale," noting that 115 healthcare facilities in Gaza have been attacked, rendering most of the city's hospitals inoperable.

US President Joe Biden, currently on his way to Israel, expressed outrage over the incident.

"I am outraged and deeply saddened by the explosion at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, and the terrible loss of life that resulted," said President Biden in a statement. 

The Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon, part of the regional conflict that began on October 7, called for a "day of rage" to condemn the strike.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi declared a day of "public mourning" and squarely blamed Israel, along with its ally the US, for the attack.

Meanwhile, protests erupted outside the UK and France embassies in Tehran, with hundreds expressing their outrage.

Escalation in West Bank and Humanitarian Crisis:

In the West Bank, Palestinian security forces clashed with protesters in Ramallah who were demonstrating against President Mahmoud Abbas. Tear gas and stun grenades were employed to disperse the angry crowds.

Over 1 million people have fled northern Gaza and sought refuge in the south.

The UN has issued a warning that Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip are being confined to increasingly smaller areas, with essential life-saving supplies running critically low. The UN is calling for a humanitarian truce to facilitate the delivery of aid to the affected population.

Disclaimer: The story was a compilation of inputs from multiple international news networks.