Ignoring evidence, Abbas’ advisor repeats libel that Israel – and the US - bombed Gazan hospital
Al-Hadath TV interviewer: “Let’s start with the Israeli version that it is attempting to disseminate, that the bombing [of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City] came from the Palestinian factions, despite the denial of the factions… Today there is even an American confirmation of the Israeli version’s veracity. What is your response?”
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Religious Affairs and Islamic Relations Mahmoud Al-Habbash: “This is not new regarding Israel and even not regarding the Americans. They are used to lies, falsehoods, and falsifications… Everyone saw the Israeli missile or the Israeli bombing hitting the hospital in a live broadcast... We have no doubt that Israel is responsible, and that the one who is behind it – the US – is a partner in this responsibility… The US is the one that is sponsoring all the Israeli crimes, and that it is the one that is defending all the Israeli crimes – not only today, during this aggression (refers to Hamas’ terror war on Israel), but rather throughout all of history.”
[Al-Hadath TV (Saudi Arabia), Oct. 18, 2023]
Libel on Baptist Hospital Bombing in Gaza City, October 2023 - A failed rocket launch by Islamic Jihad terrorists fell short of Israel and hit the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in the Gaza Strip on Oct. 17, 2023, during Hamas’ terror war on Israel. The PA and Hamas rushed to libel Israel as being responsible for the bombing and claimed approximately 500 people had been killed, and global media outlets including Reuters and the BBC picked up the Palestinian libel without confirming it. Israel proved with video evidence, including from Al-Jazeera TV, that it was an errant Islamic Jihad rocket that fell on the hospital during a barrage of rocket fire. Israel further published audio recording of a phone conversation between two Hamas terrorists intercepted by Israel on Oct. 17, 2023, in which the terrorists discussed how an Islamic Jihad rocket caused the damage and the shrapnel was "local shrapnel" and not Israeli. Having seen the Israeli evidence, the US later confirmed the Israeli assessment that an Islamic Jihad rocket had caused the damage. A senior European intelligence source estimated that the true death count from the bombing was no more than 50 people.
Hamas war on Israel October 2023 - At least 1,200 Israelis, including over 1,000 civilians, were murdered and over 4,800 wounded, in addition to approximately 244 who were abducted into the Gaza Strip (including 110 later released or liberated and at least 26 later killed), in a Hamas terror war that began when approximately 3,000 Hamas terrorists broke through Israel's security fence at the Gaza Strip border and launched a surprise attack, taking control of several Israeli towns and attacking a music festival on the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, which fell on the Sabbath, Oct. 7, 2023. During the massacre the terrorists tortured, raped, shot, beheaded, and burned their victims alive, murdering entire families and leaving at least 21 children without parents. Hamas terrorists also fired at least 5,000 rockets at Israeli population centers. In response, Israel launched Operation Iron Swords to counter the Hamas terror threat. Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon joined Hamas' terror war starting from the following day, attacking Israel from the north. Occasional rocket launches and shootings continued from Lebanon throughout the war. A ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal began on Nov. 24, 2023, in which Israel agreed to release 150 terrorist prisoners, pause drone surveillance in the Gaza Strip, and allow movement between the northern and southern Gaza Strip, in return for 50 Israeli female and child hostages held by Hamas. The deal was subsequently extended with additional releases, until Hamas violated the agreement and resumed attacking on Dec. 1, 2023.
Mahmoud Al-Habbash also serves as Supreme Shari’ah Judge and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice.
Despite Ignoring evidence, Abbas’ advisor repeats libel that Israel – and the US - bombed Gazan hospital