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A viral video claiming Israeli JDAMs were responsible for the al-Ahli Arab Hospital bombing in the Gaza Strip has been making rounds online since Tuesday, October 17, 2023. As per reports, the incident resulted in the deaths of hundreds, including patients, doctors, and children.
Disclaimer: This article is about the Israel-Palestine conflict and contains information about violence and death.
News of the explosion and subsequent loss of life triggered a mass outrage against Israel, with several Arab nations including, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon, accusing the country of targeting the medical facility.
Soon, clips comparing the sound of Tuesday's explosion with that of a JDAM kit began circulating online. The alleged similarities between the two sounds led many to conclude Israel was responsible.
According to Military.com, a JDAM or a Joint Direct Attack Munition is a guidance tail kit that converts any existing free-fall bombs into an accurate and adverse-weather-proof bomb.
The guidance tail section, which contains an inertial navigational system and a GPS guidance control unit, is added to the ammunition.
Israel Defense Force denies involvement in the bombing as netizens slam the country for using JDAM kit
As per The Guardian, the death toll from the bombing of the hospital is currently between 200 and 300. Those injured were rushed to the nearby Shifa Hospital.
On Tuesday night the Israel Defense Force (IDF) denied any involvement in the bombing, claiming they were not operating in the area at the time of the incident. In a video, IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated that following an analysis of IDF's operational systems, they had determined that the rockets were fired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad from close proximity to the hospital. He added:
"Intelligence from multiple sources we have in our hands indicates that Islamic Jihad is responsible for the failed rocket launch which hit the hospital in Gaza."
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, however, have denied their involvement as well.
The Israeli military claimed that Hamas has been indiscriminately firing rockets toward Israel. They added that about 450 of those missiles have fallen into Gaza since October 7 already, as per AP News.
On Tuesday evening, Palestinian protesters flooded the streets, chanting against Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
"I am afraid those responsible for this wont be judged": Netizens slam Israel for the alleged bombing
As the video of the JDAM comparison spread, internet users were quick to express their outrage at Israel.
Following the incident, U.S. President Joe Biden released a statement expressing his outrage at the al-Ahli Arab Hospital bombing and the subsequent loss of life. He added that he has directed the national security team to continue gathering information on the massacre in Gaza.
The attack came ahead of Biden's visit to Israel. The White House also released a statement asking both sides to refrain from blaming each other.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire."
The Israel-Palestine conflict has entered its 11th day and has resulted in the highest death toll caused by any single incident in Gaza.
It remains to be confirmed whether the bombs were JDAM-guided.
