Canada says Israel did not bomb Gaza hospital

The National Department of Defense of Canada declared on Saturday that the October 17 strike on the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza was not orchestrated by Israel.

“Analysis conducted independently by the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command indicates with a high degree of confidence that Israel did not strike the Al-Ahli hospital on 17 October 2023,” the statement read.

Based on a study of open source and classified reporting, the Defense Department concluded that an errant rocket fired from Gaza was most likely the cause of the strike.

Canada’s findings are similar to conclusions by France and the U.S.

Canada said its assessment is informed by an analysis of the blast damage to the hospital complex, including adjacent buildings and the area surrounding the hospital, as well as the flight pattern of the incoming munition.

Palestinian officials said 471 people were killed in the blast at Al-Ahli al-Arabi Hospital on Tuesday. Gaza’s health ministry blamed an Israeli air strike, while Israel said the blast was caused by a failed rocket launch by militants.