U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in Israel on Wednesday pledging solidarity in its war against Hamas and backing its account that a blast that killed huge numbers of Palestinians at a Gaza hospital had been caused by militants.

The fireball that engulfed the Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital delivered some of the most harrowing images yet from a 12-day war, and wrecked White House plans for Biden’s emergency diplomatic mission to the Middle East, with Arab leaders calling off their planned summit with the U.S. president.

Palestinian officials blamed an Israeli air strike for the blast, which it said had killed as many as 500 people. Israel said the blast was caused by a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, which denied blame.

Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden said: “I was deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion of the hospital in Gaza yesterday, and based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you.”

  • surewhynotlem@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    12
    arrow-down
    9
    ·
    1 year ago

    They would kill as many as they could within the limitations of having to appear they aren’t the aggressor. They are fully dependent on their international reputation.

    • BraveSirZaphod@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      9
      ·
      1 year ago

      within the limitations of having to appear they aren’t the aggressor

      You cannot claim this is something they care about while also claiming that they bombed a hospital for the sole purpose of killing civilians.

      • surewhynotlem@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        10
        arrow-down
        4
        ·
        1 year ago

        But we can’t prove they did, can we? There’s just enough deniability to squeeze through politically. And that’s all they need. Apparently.

        • Fades@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          Yes Israel fired a rocket from northern Gaza and caused it to prematurely explode over the hospital to kill Palestinians but also keep plausible deniability

          Give me a fucking break lmao