By Mai Yaghi with Rosie Scammell in Jerusalem

A blast ripped by a Hospital in war-torn Gaza killing a whole bunch of individuals late Tuesday, sparking world condemnation and indignant protests across the Muslim world.

Israel and Palestinians traded blame for the blast, which an “outraged and deeply saddened” US President Joe Biden denounced whereas en path to the Center East.

Well being authorities in Gaza Mentioned the explosion on the Ahli Arab Hospital killed between 200 and 300 individuals and was brought on by the newest in a wave of Israeli air strikes.

The Israeli army blamed Palestinian militants, saying an outgoing Islamic Jihad rocket misfired.

Neither account may very well be independently corroborated.

On the bottom in Gaza, there have been scenes of chaos because the useless and wounded have been taken to close by medical centres.

On the Al-Shifa hospital, scores of our bodies cloaked in blood-stained sheets and white plastic wrap lined the flooring. Surprised family members tried to establish family members.

“We have been working within the hospital. There was a robust explosion and the ceiling fell on the working room,” mentioned Ghassan Abu Sittah, a physician with the medical charity Docs With out Borders (MSF).

“Hospitals are usually not a goal,” he mentioned. “This bloodshed should cease. Sufficient is sufficient.”

For 11 days, Israel has launched withering strikes on Hamas-controlled Gaza — retaliation for the killing of 1,400 individuals who have been shot, mutilated or burnt to dying in shock cross-border assaults launched by Hamas on October 7.

Regardless of the uncertainty over what brought about the blast on the Christian-run Ahli Arab Hospital, there was fast and widespread worldwide condemnation.

EU international coverage chief Josep Borrell mentioned “accountability for this crime have to be clearly established” and the “perpetrators held accountable”.

United Nations Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres referred to as for an “fast humanitarian ceasefire” and warned Israel in opposition to “the collective punishment of the Palestinian individuals”.

From Tripoli to Tehran, there was a livid response across the Muslim world.

Protesters in Jordan — house to thousands and thousands of Palestinian refugees — tried to storm the Israeli embassy.

In Lebanon, demonstrators clashed with safety forces outdoors the US embassy. Stones have been hurled and a constructing was set on fireplace.

The US State Division authorised the departure of “some non-emergency” personnel from the Beirut embassy, citing the “unpredictable safety state of affairs.”

Hezbollah, Lebanon’s highly effective Iran-backed militant group, vowed a “day of rage” on Wednesday.

– ‘Robust questions’ –

The horror of occasions at Ahli Arab Hospital and the swift backlash threatened to derail Biden’s high-stakes go to to the Center East.

A four-way summit in Amman with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was cancelled.

It might be held “when the choice to cease the warfare and put an finish to those massacres has been taken,” mentioned Jordanian International Minister Ayman Safadi.

The White Home mentioned Biden’s go to to Israel would go forward as deliberate.

He’s anticipated to precise solidarity over the Hamas assaults, during which 31 Individuals have been among the many useless.

The assaults have been the deadliest in Israel’s 75-year historical past, carrying painful echoes of previous pogroms and undermining religion within the nation’s safety companies.

However Biden can also be anticipated to press for steps to minimise the massive humanitarian affect of Israel’s army response, permitting help to enter the blockaded Gaza Strip.

Worldwide alarm has grown in regards to the devastating affect of the warfare on Palestinian civilians.

About 3,000 Gazans have died in Israeli air and artillery bombardments, in accordance with the Hamas-run well being ministry — together with a number of senior figures within the organisation.

Complete neighbourhoods have been razed and survivors are left with dwindling provides of meals, water and gas.

Washington additionally desires to cease the battle from spilling over into Lebanon or the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution — the place a string of protests erupted in a single day.

Talking aboard Air Power One, White Home Nationwide Safety Council spokesman John Kirby mentioned Biden would ask Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “powerful questions” in regards to the path forward.

Tens of hundreds of Israeli troops have deployed to the border in preparation for a full-scale floor offensive.

Netanyahu has vowed to “defeat Hamas” — though the precise army aims stay unclear.

Whereas Netanyahu and different members of his hard-right authorities communicate of wiping out Hamas, the army has been extra circumspect, suggesting a extra achievable goal of degrading its army functionality.

– ‘Corpses within the streets’ –

Forward of the anticipated floor invasion, Israel gave a million residents of northern Gaza 24 hours to flee south.

Some 20 medical amenities have been advised to evacuate. Electrical energy, water and gas provides have been lower.

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby represents the Anglican church, which runs the Ahli Arab Hospital.

He mentioned the hospital was one among a number of medical amenities in northern Gaza topic to evacuation orders and that it had already been hit by “Israeli rocket fireplace” on October 14, which wounded 4 workers.

In response to World Well being Organisation figures, there have been greater than 100 assaults on hospitals, ambulances and different well being care belongings since October 7.

The Palestine Crimson Crescent Society mentioned a whole bunch died in Tuesday’s blast, together with ladies, youngsters, workers and “internally displaced individuals searching for secure shelter”.

Hamas put the dying toll at greater than 500.

Away from the hospital the state of affairs in residential areas of Gaza was scarcely higher.

“There are corpses within the streets. Buildings are crashing down on their inhabitants,” mentioned Jamil Abdullah, a Palestinian-Swede, hoping to flee the blockaded enclave.

“The scent of the useless is in every single place.”

In Israel, dozens of mourners gathered for the funeral of 5 members of the identical household killed when militants attacked their kibbutz at Kfar Aza.

All 5 coffins have been draped in Israeli flags.

Diplomatic bids to free a minimum of 199 hostages taken by Hamas have gathered tempo.

Turkey mentioned it was in talks with Hamas to safe their launch.

Hamas has launched a video of one of many captives, French-Israeli lady Mia Shem.

Her mom, Keren Shem, made an emotional plea for her secure return. “I’m begging the world to deliver my child again house,” she advised a information convention in Tel Aviv.