The Israel Defense Forces believe long-range rockets originally fired indiscriminately toward Israel resulted in the misdirected rocket salvo that hit Gaza’s Shifa hospital and Al-Shati refugee camp.
Palestinian officials reported that at least ten were killed and dozens wounded in the strikes on the refugee camp and hospital.
The hospital strikes took place during Israel’s self-declared unilateral ceasefire. While Hamas continues to violate countless ceasefire agreements, Israel has not once broken its side of the truces (seven of them) unless fired upon by jihadist militants.
Israel’s Channel 2 reported that the blast at the Shifa hospital was likely the result of a misdirected Iranian-made Fajr-5 100kg warhead destined for central Israel.
Hamas officials have prevented camera crews from filming the site of the hospital blast.
According to the IDF twitter feed:
Some international reporters, however, completely ignored credible information as to where the strikes came from and immediately tweeted that casualties were a result of Israeli airstrikes.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said of the attacks, “The slaughter of children in the Al-Shati is a war crime and a result of silence of the international [community]. Our spirit won’t be broken, and the occupation will pay the price.”
Separately, the IDF has now located more than 30 Hamas tunnels, according to Israel’s Channel 2 News. A 2012 report revealed that the tunnels had been built on the backs of child labor, and at least 160 children were killed during the construction period.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address the Israeli public on Operation Protective Edge at 8:00 p.m. local time.
Monday evening, the IDF phoned and texted residents of Shujayyah, Zeitun, and the east Jabalya neighborhoods of Gaza, urging them to evacuate towards the center of Gaza city. Many have interpreted the warnings by Israeli forces as a sign that the ground operation into Gaza is set to expand further.