An explosion occurred at the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City on Tuesday evening, resulting in reports of hundreds of casualties, as stated by the Gaza Health Ministry, which is under Hamas control. The Health Ministry has accused Israel of targeting the hospital. As of now, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not issued a statement regarding the incident. It’s worth noting that the explosion was reported concurrently with a significant barrage of rockets being launched from Gaza towards central Israel. In previous conflicts, rockets fired by Hamas and other Palestinian factions have occasionally fallen short of their intended targets, striking buildings in Gaza. Such incidents have led to numerous casualties in past rounds of conflict. For instance, during Operation Breaking Dawn in August 2022, two individuals lost their lives when a rocket from Gaza landed near a clinic. IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari has stated that reports of a potential Israeli airstrike on a Gaza hospital are currently under review. He mentions that he does not yet have all the available information, and further details will be provided when they become available. At this point, it is unclear whether the explosion, which reportedly resulted in numerous casualties, was the result of an Israeli airstrike. Hagari also highlights that there have been numerous airstrikes, rocket failures, and misleading reports from Hamas, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive assessment of the situation. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)