France: France’s military intelligence agency has reportedly said that a misfiring Palestinian rocket may have caused the fatal explosion at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza. This comes as Israel and Palestinian authorities dispute responsibility for the incident.
The Directorate of Military Intelligence (DRM) reported that an accidental Palestinian rocket carrying roughly 5kg of explosives was the probable cause of the explosion, and their intelligence did not indicate an Israeli missile strike as the source.
During a briefing, a high-ranking French military official mentioned that the explosion’s magnitude matched the consistency of Palestinian rockets and that the impact crater was too small to result from an Israeli missile.
The DRM didn’t provide a specific death count but suggested that it was probably less than the 471 deaths reported by Palestinian officials, as per the news agencies.
This evaluation relied on classified data, satellite pictures, intelligence from other nations, and publicly available information, such as images indicating minor structural harm at the hospital and limited civilian possessions at the explosion location.
French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron instructed the DRM to disclose its findings due to conflicting reports about the attack’s responsible party.
The French intelligence evaluation contributes to the ongoing disputes and conflicting statements regarding the hospital explosion, which have triggered protests in the Middle East.
Palestinian authorities have accused an Israeli airstrike as the cause of the explosion. Still, Israel has asserted that it resulted from a rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an armed group denying involvement.
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