The tragic explosion at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza on October 17, 2023, has seen a significant evolution in narrative, as various sources contribute differing perspectives and findings. Initially, CNN reported that Palestinian officials attributed the massive blast, which claimed hundreds of lives, to ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Israel, however, categorically denied involvement, suggesting a failed rocket launch by Palestinian militants as the cause [4c739de4].
Following this, Al Jazeera English reported that Israel had initially claimed the explosion was caused by a rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group but later retracted this statement. This inconsistency added to the skepticism surrounding Israel's narrative, which has been marred by credibility issues in the past [75787178].
The narrative took a turn when Human Rights Watch, as reported by La Prensa Latina, suggested that a misfired rocket was the likely cause of the explosion. This was based on the analysis of the explosion's characteristics, such as the sound, fireball, and crater size, which seemed inconsistent with an air-dropped bomb [6b338a83].
ReliefWeb and Infobae highlighted HRW's call for an independent investigation, given the lack of conclusive evidence about the exact munition used. HRW's investigation was based on the analysis of photos, videos, and satellite imagery, and emphasized the need for both Gaza authorities and Israel to release all relevant information [60fd24b0][641c8a6d].
The New York Times added a critical dimension to the evolving story with their detailed visual analysis, debunking the notion that a widely cited video clip showed the missile causing the explosion. Their analysis suggested that the missile seen in the video detonated far away from the hospital, adding more complexity to the already convoluted narrative [d11af16a].
As the situation stands, with reports from Heraldo.es and others pointing to a high death toll and widespread destruction, the true cause of the Al Ahli Hospital explosion remains a subject of investigation and debate. The conflicting narratives and lack of definitive evidence call for a thorough and unbiased investigation to bring clarity and accountability to this devastating incident [09b0f9b8].