At least 500 people have been killed in an Israeli air strike on the Baptist (Al Ahli Arab) Hospital in central Gaza, which was packed with wounded and other Palestinians seeking shelter, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The Palestinian Civil Defence said the Israeli attack on the hospital was the deadliest Israeli air strike in the five wars since 2008.
“The massacre at al-Ahli Arab Hospital is unprecedented in our history. We’ve witnessed tragedies in past wars and days, but what happened tonight is tantamount to genocide,” said spokesman Mahmoud Basal.
The Israeli military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said there were no details yet on the deaths at the hospital. “We will get the details and update the public. I don’t know whether it was an Israeli air strike,” he said.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared three days of mourning.
In a new development, senior Hamas official told NBC News that the group is willing to release all civilian hostages within an hour if Israel stops bombing Gaza.
