Gaza hospital attack: Analysis contradicts Israel’s evidence justifying airstrike
Israel has escalated its attacks in Gaza in the last two days, striking two of the Palestinian territory’s largest working hospitals.
CCTV footage, verified by Sky News, shows the moment of the attack on the European Hospital near Khan Younis on Tuesday 13 May.
Another video, taken from outside the grounds of the hospital, shows plumes of smoke rising from the compound.
At least 16 people were killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which is part of the territory’s Hamas-led government.
What the evidence says about Israel’s claims
Israel said it was targeting a Hamas “command and control centre” buried beneath the hospital, and published a video taken from an aerial surveillance aircraft.
In the footage, a building is highlighted and marked as “European Hospital”.
However, Sky News has confirmed that the footage does not in fact show the European Hospital, but the adjacent school, Jenin Secondary School for Boys.
In the video, a series of dark shapes are also highlighted and labelled as “underground terrorist infrastructure site revealed following the strike”.
The IDF says the video shows ‘underground terrorist infrastructure’. Pic: IDF
However, there is no obvious damage visible in the video, and an eyewitness told Sky News that there had been no damage to the school’s courtyard.
An expert told Sky News that the dark shapes appear to be markings caused by water, rather than exposed underground infrastructure such as tunnels.
“That does look quite obviously to be a drainage ditch with dendritic flow patterns of water heading into the ditch,” said Corey Scher, an expert in the use of satellite imagery to assess military and environmental damage at Oregon State University.
“The same drainage patterns are readily visible in [earlier] imagery. These appear to be ditches draining water.”
Similar shapes visible in IDF footage (bottom row) and prior satellite imagery (8 May, upper left, and 3 April, upper right). Pics: IDF/Planet Labs PBC
A spokesperson for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed to Sky News that the footage shows an area outside the hospital grounds.
The spokesperson said that the “underground infrastructure” continued under the hospital, but did not provide any evidence of this.
The spokesperson also did not address the analysis that the video shows markings caused by water, rather than underground infrastructure.
The IDF has escalated attacks in recent days
The attack on the European Hospital came just hours after Nasser Hospital, in Khan Younis, was hit by an Israeli strike.
The video below, taken by Palestinian journalist Alam Sadeq and verified by Sky News, shows the immediate aftermath of the strike.
The two top floors on the eastern side of the hospital are on fire, and an Israeli aircraft can be heard in the background.
Israel says it was targeting Hamas officials who were using that part of the hospital as a base, but has not provided any evidence to support this. Local media have reported that Israel was targeting Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar.
Since 18 March, when it abandoned a US-brokered ceasefire, Israel has declared 65% of the Gaza Strip to be active combat zones – meaning that Palestinians are required to flee.
However, neither hospital attacked on 13 March was in a declared combat zone.
British surgeon Tom Potokar, who is working in Gaza, was at the European Hospital when it was struck.
He told Sky News Special Correspondent Alex Crawford that the hospital was hit twice more on 14 May, as workers cleared the rubble from the day before.
A video taken by Dr Potokar shows smoke billowing out from a bulldozer on the grounds of the hospital.
That same morning, Israel also launched a series of attacks on the residential neighbourhood of Jabalia, in the north of the Gaza Strip.
At least 53 people were killed, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which named 52 of the fatalities.
The last two months have been the deadliest period in Gaza since the early weeks of the war, according to Gaza’s health ministry, with three in every five fatalities being women, children or elderly people.
A two-month long blockade on aid has also compounded Gaza’s suffering. Vital resources like food are starting to run out.
“You’ve got an entire population that is in a crisis mode in terms of food security,” said Antoine Renard, director for Palestine at the World Food Programme.
“Worse than that, you’ve got nearly a quarter of the population that is at risk of famine.”
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IDF hospital strike intel ‘absolutely not’ incorrectunderneath a hospital.
A UN-backed report this week said that 93% of people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, described as being in a crisis, emergency or catastrophic situation.
And nearly 71,000 children under the age of five are expected to be acutely malnourished over the next 11 months.
This is all happening as Israeli officials face pressure to agree to a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
Additional reporting by Michelle Inez Simon, digital investigations producer, and Sky’s Gaza team.
The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.
They rose to their feet in ecstatic surprise, shouting “heydar, heydar” – a Shia victory chant.
This was the first public appearance of their supreme leader since Israel began attacking their country.
He emerged during evening prayers in his private compound. He said nothing but looked stern and resolute as he waved to the crowd.
He has spent the last weeks sequestered in a bunker, it is assumed, for his safety following numerous death threats from Israel and the US.
His re-emergence suggests a return to normality and a sense of defiance that we have witnessed here on the streets of Tehran too.
Earlier, we had filmed as men in black marched through the streets of the capital to the sound of mournful chants and the slow beat of drums, whipping their backs with metal flails.
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Defiance on streets of Tehran
This weekend they mark the Shia festival of Ashura as they have for 14 centuries. But this year has poignant significance for Iranians far more than most.
The devout remember the betrayal and death of Imam Hussein as if it happened yesterday. We filmed men and women weeping as they worshipped at the Imamzadeh Saleh Shrine in northern Tehran.
The armies of the Caliph Yazid killed the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad in the seventh-century Battle of Karbala.
Shiite Muslims mark the anniversary every year and reflect on the virtue it celebrates, of resistance against oppression and injustice.
But more so than ever in the wake of Israel and America’s attacks on their country.
The story is one of prevailing over adversity and deception. A sense of betrayal is keenly felt here among people and officials.
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
Many Iranians believe they were lured into pursuing diplomacy as part of a ruse by the US.
Iran believed it was making diplomatic progress in talks with America it hoped could lead to a deal. Then Israel launched its attacks and, instead of condemning them, the US joined in.
Death to Israel chants resounded outside the mosque in skies which were filled for 12 days with the sounds of Israeli jets. There is a renewed sense of defiance here.
One man told us: “The lesson to be learned from Hussein is not to give in to oppression even if it is the most powerful force in the world.”
A woman was dismissive about the US president. “I don’t think about Trump, nobody likes him. He always wants to attack too many countries.”
Pictures on billboards nearby draw a line between Imam Hussein’s story and current events. The seventh-century imam on horseback alongside images of modern missiles and drones from the present day.
Other huge signs remember the dead. Iran says almost 1,000 people were killed in the strikes, many of them women and children.
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Officially Iran is projecting defiance but not closing the door to diplomacy.
Government spokeswoman Dr Fatemeh Mohajerani told Sky News that Israel should not even think about attacking again.
“We are very strong in defence and as state officials have announced, this time Israel will receive an even stronger response compared to previous times,” she said.
“We hope that Israel will not make such a mistake.”
But there is also a hint of conciliation: Senior Iranian officials have told Sky News that back-channel efforts are under way to explore new talks with the US.
Israel had hoped its attacks could topple the Iranian leadership. That proved unfounded, the government is in control here.
For many Iranians, it seems quite the opposite happened – the 12-day war has brought them closer together.
To the sound of mournful chants and the slow beat of drums, they march, whipping their backs with metal flails.
It is an ancient ceremony going back almost 14 centuries – the Shia commemoration of Ashura.
But this year in particular has poignant significance for Iranians.
The devout remember the betrayal and death of the Imam Hussein as if it happened yesterday.
Iranians gather ahead of Ashura
We filmed men and women weep as they worshipped at the Imamzadeh Saleh Shrine in northern Tehran.
The grandson of the Prophet Muhammad was killed by the armies of the Caliph Yazid in the seventh century Battle of Karbala.
Shia Muslims mark the anniversary every year and reflect on the virtue it celebrates – of resistance against oppression and injustice. But more so than ever this year, in the wake of Israel and America’s attacks on their country.
The story is one of prevailing over adversity and deception. A sense of betrayal is keenly felt here by people and officials.
Men and women weeped as they worshipped at the Imamzadeh Saleh Shrine
Many Iranians believe they were lured into pursuing diplomacy as part of a ruse by the US.
Iran believed it was making diplomatic progress in talks with America, which it hoped could lead to a deal. Then Israel launched its attacks and, instead of condemning them, the US joined in.
“Death to Israel” chants resounded outside the mosque in skies that for 12 days were filled with the sounds of Israeli jets.
There is a renewed sense of defiance here.
One man told us: “The lesson to be learned from Hussein is not to give in to oppression, even if it is the most powerful force in the world.”
‘I don’t think about Trump. Nobody likes him,’ one woman tells Sky News
A woman was dismissive about the US president.
“I don’t think about Trump. Nobody likes him. He always wants to attack too many countries.”
Pictures on billboards nearby link Imam Hussein’s story and current events. They show the seventh century imam on horseback alongside images of modern missiles and drones from the present day.
Other huge signs remember the dead. Iran says almost 1,000 people were killed in the strikes, many of them women and children.
Officially Iran is projecting defiance, but not closing the door to diplomacy.
Government spokeswoman Dr Fatemeh Mohajerani told Sky News that Israel should not even think about attacking again.
“We are very strong in defence, and as state officials have announced, this time Israel will receive an even stronger response compared to previous times. We hope that Israel will not make such a mistake.”
Dr Fatemeh Mohajerani said it would be a mistake for Israel to attack again
But there is also a hint of conciliation. Senior Iranian officials have told Sky News back-channel efforts are under way to explore new talks with the US.
Israel had hoped its attacks could topple the Iranian leadership. Those hopes proved unfounded. The government is in control here.
For many Iranians it seems quite the opposite happened – the 12-day war has brought them closer together.
World
Two security workers injured after grenades thrown at aid site, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says
Two American security workers in Gaza were injured after grenades were thrown during food distribution in Khan Younis, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) has said.
In a statement, the US and Israeli-backed aid group said a targeted terrorist attack was carried out at one of its sites in southern Gaza on Saturday morning.
The two Americans injured “are receiving medical treatment and are in stable condition,” it said, adding that the delivery of aid was “otherwise successful” and that “no local aid workers or civilians were harmed”.
GHF didn’t say exactly when the incident happened but claimed Hamas was behind the attack, adding: “GHF has repeatedly warned of credible threats from Hamas, including explicit plans to target American personnel, Palestinian aid workers, and the civilians who rely on our sites for food.
“Today’s attack tragically affirms those warnings.”
Later, the aid group posted a picture on social media, which it said showed “fragments of a grenade packed with ball bearings” that was used in the attack.
Asked by Sky’s US partner network, NBC News, whether the two injured individuals were responsible for handing out aid or were responsible for providing security, GHF said they were “American security workers” and “two American veterans.”
The aid group did not provide specific evidence that Hamas was behind the attack.
The US and Israeli-backed group has been primarily responsible for aid distribution since Israel lifted its 11-week blockade of the Gaza Strip in May.
Read more:
Hamas gives ‘positive’ response to ceasefire proposal
Outcry as Israeli strike hits school
94 killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza, health staff say
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It comes after Sky News analysis showed GHF aid distributions are associated with a significant increase in deaths in Gaza.
According to Gaza’s health ministry, 600 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid from GHF sites as of 3 July, which charities and the UN have branded “death traps”.
Meanwhile, the Associated Press has reported that Israeli-backed American contractors guarding GHF aid centres in Gaza are using live ammunition and stun grenades.
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Contractors allege colleagues ‘fired on Palestinians’
GHF has vehemently denied the accusations, adding that it investigated AP’s allegations and found them to be “categorically false”.
Israel’s military added that it fires only warning shots and is investigating reports of civilian harm.
It denies deliberately shooting at any innocent civilians and says it’s examining how to reduce “friction with the population” in the areas surrounding the distribution centres.
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