Attack in Gaza killed at least 500 people in Ahli Arab; Extremist group denied authorship
Videos published by official profiles linked to the Israeli government show when a rocket that would have been originally fired by the Islamic Jihad group hit a hospital in the Gaza Strip this Tuesday (October 17, 2023). According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least 500 people died in the attack.
“The whole world should know [que] It was the barbaric terrorists in Gaza who attacked the hospital, not the IDF. Those who brutally murdered our children are also murdering their own children,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israel Defense Forces said the missile did not come from Israeli territory.
Speaking to Portal news agency, Islamic Jihad spokesman Daoud Shehab denied responsibility for the attack. He called the allegations a “lie” and a “fabrication.” He accused the Israeli government: “The occupation is trying to cover up the terrible crimes and massacres they have committed against civilians.”
The videos were posted on X (formerly Twitter) from the profiles of Israelfrom Israel Defense Forces it’s from Gilad Erdan, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations. In videos posted on networks you can see:
- a clear point crosses the sky (it would be the rocket);
- a flash, possibly indicating failure of the fired missile;
- an explosion in an area with buildings and no electricity (the lights in Gaza were out).
Watch the videos released by Israel (55s):
Misinformation
The Israel profile had shared additional videos that suggested it was the rocket allegedly fired by Islamic Jihad. Users began sharing the post, but others highlighted some inconsistencies, such as the timing of the cameras’ recording, and said it was a recording before the hospital attack. On social media, the administrators of the Israeli government account then removed the images from the message.
As the Israel profile posted:
This is what Israel’s profile post looked like after editing:
The Israel Defense Forces also criticized international media for “quickly publishing Hamas headlines without checking the facts.” He shared images from the websites CNN, Wall Street Journal and AP on X. All said Israel bombed the hospital.
