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.
At least 36 people have been killed after a fire engulfed several buildings at a high-rise residential complex in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong leader John Lee said another 279 people were reported missing. He said 29 people remained in hospital.
About 900 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters after the blaze – Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in years – broke out at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in the city’s Tai Po district.
Three men have since been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter, broadcaster RTHK reported.
Pics: AP
Meanwhile, fire chiefs said the high temperatures were making it challenging for crews to mount rescue operations.
Mr Lee said the fire was “coming under control” shortly after midnight.
The blaze was upgraded to a level 5 alarm, the highest level of severity, as night fell.
Pics: AP
The dead included one firefighter, officials said earlier.
A number of other firefighters were said to have been hurt while trying to tackle the flames as they ripped through the 31-storey towers.
Pic: Reuters
Pic: AP
Records show the Wang Fuk Court site consists of eight blocks, with almost 2,000 apartments housing around 4,800 residents, including many elderly people. It was built in the 1980s and has recently been undergoing a major renovation.
Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
The fire, which broke out at 2.51pm local time, had spread on bamboo scaffolding and construction netting set up around the exterior of the complex.
It was not known how the fire started, but officials said it began on the external scaffolding of one of the buildings before spreading inside and to nearby buildings, likely aided by windy conditions.
Pic: Reuters
Pic: Reuters
Flames and smoke were still pouring out of many windows as night fell.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed condolences to the firefighter who died, and extended his sympathies to the families of the victims, according to state broadcaster CCTV. He also urged an “all-out” effort to minimise casualties and losses.
The UK’s foreign secretary described the fire as “truly devastating and deeply depressing”. Yvette Cooper said: “The UK sends heartfelt condolences to all the families affected and to the people of Hong Kong.”
Tai Po is in the northern part of Hong Kong, and close to the border with the mainland Chinese city of Shenzhen.
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Bamboo scaffolding is a common sight in Hong Kong at building construction and renovation projects.
However, the government said earlier this year it would start phasing it out for public projects because of safety concerns.
The blaze is the deadliest fire in Hong Kong since the deaths of 41 people in a commercial building in Kowloon in November 1996.
That fire was later found to have been caused by welding during internal renovations, with a public inquiry yielding sweeping updates to building standards and fire safety regulations in the city’s high-rise offices, shops and homes.
Two military personnel who were shot near the White House in Washington DC have died.
A suspect has been taken into custody and the area secured, police said.
The White House was placed into lockdown, while US President Donald Trump is away in Florida.
Washington DC shooting latest updates
Pics: AP
Mr Trump initially posted on his Truth Social platform to say the two National Guardsmen had been “critically wounded”, adding that the “animal” that shot them “is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price”.
But West Virginia’s governor said both victims were members of his state’s National Guard and had died from their injuries.
Patrick Morrisey added: “These brave West Virginians lost their lives in the service of their country. … Our entire state grieves with their families, their loved ones, and the Guard community. West Virginia will never forget their service or their sacrifice, and we will demand full accountability for this horrific act.”
Pic: AP
Police tape cordoned off the scene, while agents from the US Secret Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on the scene, as National Guard troops stood sentry nearby.
Emergency personnel cordon off an area near where National Guard soldiers were shot. Pics: AP
The Joint DC Task Force confirmed it was responding to an incident in the vicinity of the White House.
The DC Police Department posted on X: “Critical Incident: MPD is on the scene of a shooting at 17th and I Street, NW. Please avoid the area.”
In an update, the force said: “The scene is secured. One suspect is in custody.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “The White House is aware and actively monitoring this tragic situation.
“The president has been briefed.”
Mr Trump was at his resort in Palm Beach ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, while US vice president JD Vance was in Kentucky.
Flights arriving at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were temporarily halted due to its proximity to the scene of the shooting, the US Federal Aviation Administration said.
Hundreds of National Guard members have been patrolling the nation’s capital after Mr Trump issued an emergency order in August, which federalised the local police force and sent in the guard from eight states and the District of Columbia.
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