Gaza Hospital Blast: Hundreds Feared Dead

Hamas accused Israel of hitting the hospital with an airstrike, but Israel has categorically denied the allegation, and blamed the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

Palestinian Islamic Jihad is a militant group operating in Gaza, and is separate from the Hamas militant group. The two groups are aligned in their fight against Israel.

Hamas alleged more than 500 people died in the blast, while the Palestine Health Authority estimated between 200 to 300 people were killed.

But these numbers have not been independently confirmed, and Israel claims the numbers may have been inflated by Hamas. Footage shows dozens of dead people near the hospital.

At a press briefing given by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) this morning, a spokesperson claimed there was evidence that a rocket fired by Islamic Jihad towards Israel suffered a malfunction.

The IDF alleges this clip shows the missile malfunctioning, then landing on the hospital car park moments later.

And that as the rocket was still mostly full of fuel, when it crash it created a fireball.

The IDF said this fire may have then spread to hospital buildings. The IDF claims it is clear from the lack of structural damage that the hospital was not hit by an airstrike.

Hamas has maintained its original claim that the cause of blast was an Israeli airstrike.