The IDF has published a series of pictures demonstrating that the blast at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City yesterday was caused by a rocket launched by Islamic Jihad from a nearby cemetery that misfired and landed in the hospital car park. The IDF has also released what it says is a transcript of a conversation between Hamas members that reveals that Hamas knew that an Islamic Jihad rocket was the cause of the blast that is reported to have killed hundreds of people.
US President Joe Biden, who landed in Israel today in an unprecedented wartime visit, has accepted Israel’s version of the event. "Based on what I've seen it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you," Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu," and added, "But there's a lot of people out there who are not sure, so we've got to overcome a lot of things."
"I wanted to be here today for a simple reason: I want the people of Israel and the people of the world to know where the United States stands," Biden said. "I wanted to personally come and make that clear."
On the massacres, hostage taking and other atrocities perpetrated by Hamas terrorists in southern Israel on October 7, Biden said, "They have committed evils and atrocities that make ISIS look somewhat more rational. Americans are grieving with you, they really are."
The US president said that Americans "have to continue to ensure that you have what you need to defend yourselves. And we’re going to make sure that occurs."
Netanyahu thanked President Biden for the material and strategic support that the US provided, and said, "But above all, Mr. President, the world sees that support, and the moral clarity that you have demonstrated from the moment Israel was attacked."
President Biden is due to participate in a meeting of Israel’s security cabinet. Following the lethal blast at the Gaza City hospital, which the Arab world blames on Israel, Jordan announced the cancellation of the quadrilateral summit that was due to take place today in Amman with the participation of President Biden, King Abdullah of Jordan, Palestinian Authority chairperson Mahmoud Abbas, and President Abdel el-Sisi of Egypt.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on October 18, 2023.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2023.