Progressive lawmakers are blaming Israel for bombing a hospital in Gaza – even though the Jewish state insists it was not behind the attack and President Joe Biden says he will get to the bottom of who conducted the strike.
The bombing killed at least 500 Palestinians, and led to outrage from Democrats claiming Israel committed a war crime in targeting a hospital.
It also threw Biden’s trip to the Middle East into chaos. A scheduled meeting in Jordanian capital Amman with the king of Jordan and the presidents of Egypt and Palestine was canceled in the fallout of the deadly air strike.
The attack comes amid the fallout after the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israel last week that has since killed at least 1,400 of their citizens. October 7, the first day of the attack, resulted in the largest single-day murder of Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Israel swiftly began retaliatory attacks against Hamas, which is the de facto government of the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American woman elected to Congress, led Democrats outraged over the attack – and the finger-pointing at President Joe Biden for his unwavering support of the Jewish state.
Progressive Democratic lawmakers rushed to blame Israel for the blast at a Palestinian hospital in Gaza that left 500 dead – but the Jewish state insists it was not behind the attack and President Joe Biden vowed to get to the bottom of it
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (left) is the first Palestinian-American congresswoman. She and Rep. Ilhan Omar helped lead the outrage over the deadly attack and the finger-pointing at Israel
‘Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital killing 500 Palestinians (doctors, children, patients) just like that,’ Repai (D-Mich.) wrote on X.
‘[Biden] this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate,’ she added in the post. ‘Your war and destruction only approach has opened my eyes and many Palestinian Americans and Muslims Americans like me. We will remember where you stood.’
Biden is in Israel this week for meetings with leaders amid the violence between Israel and Hamas terrorists. He and other U.S. leaders have expressed their stance of backing Israel’s right to counter strike, but have condemned any directed attacks on civilians.
Meanwhile progressives like Tlaib have called for a cease-fire, which many see as their demand that Israel give up defending itself against the Hamas attack.
In a separate post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Tlaib claimed that Israeli leaders have lied before about their actions after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured his government was not behind the bombing of the Palestinian hospital.
It is classified as a war crime by the United Nations for a government to ‘intentionally direct attacks against buildings dedicated to religion, education, art, science or charitable purposes, historic monuments, hospitals and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not military objectives.’
Progressive Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar posted online: ‘Bombing a hospital is among the gravest of war crimes. The IDF reportedly blowing up one of the few places the injured and wounded can seek medical treatment and shelter during a war is horrific.’
![Rep. Tlaib said Democrats will 'remember where [Biden] stood' after he voiced unwavering support for Israel and said it's unclear who was behind the bombing of the Gaza-based hospital](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/10/18/18/76718103-12645699-image-a-8_1697649497201.jpg)
Rep. Tlaib said Democrats will ‘remember where [Biden] stood’ after he voiced unwavering support for Israel and said it’s unclear who was behind the bombing of the Gaza-based hospital
Biden is visiting Israel – but his plans to meet with other Middle Eastern leaders during his trip was foiled when the bombing took place during his flight to the region
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‘[Biden] needs to push for an immediate ceasefire to end this slaughter,’ wrote the first woman to ever wear a hijab on the House floor.
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee wrote: ‘There is no moral ambiguity. Bombing a hospital is reprehensible, and a war crime.’
‘Many have courageously spoken out about the importance of adhering to international law, even in response to heinous acts. This is why,’ she added. ‘And this is why we must all demand a #CeasefireNOW.’
Biden said Tuesday he was ‘outraged’ at the strike on the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City, and has vowed to work out who is behind it.
The president left Washington, D.C. and was en route to Tel Aviv, Israel at the time of the bombing.
Hamas says Israel was behind the air strike on the hospital; Israel says that it was Palestinian militants allied with Islamic Jihad.
Jonathan Conricus, a spokesman for the IDF, told CNN they have conclusive evidence that Israel was not behind the strike – but the evidence has not yet been published. He shared a video of what he said could be the missile strike.
Omar again urged for a ‘ceasefire’, which Republicans claim is code for pro-Palestine lawmakers to push-back against Israel defending itself against the Hamas terrorist attacks launched last week
Rep. Summer Lee also blamed Israel for the attack and called for a ceasefire
‘I am outraged and deeply saddened by the explosion at the Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, and the terrible loss of life that resulted,’ Biden said in a statement issued by the White House.
‘Immediately upon hearing this news, I spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and have directed my national security team to continue gathering information about what exactly happened.
‘The United States stands unequivocally for the protection of civilian life during conflict and we mourn the patients, medical staff and other innocents killed or wounded in this tragedy.’
Biden’s meeting with King Abdullah, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon in the Jordanian capital, has been canceled.
He was also due to me Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, told state-run television the war between Israel and Hamas was ‘pushing the region to the brink.’ He said Jordan would host the summit only when everyone had agreed its purpose would be to ‘stop the war, respect the humanity of the Palestinians and deliver the aid they deserve.’
Biden will now visit only Israel, a White House official said.
