Jerusalem: Escalation in Gaza: Al-Ahli Arab Hospital Hit, International Outcry Grows - In a tragic development on the 12th day of the Israel-Hamas conflict, the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in the besieged Gaza Strip became the epicenter of international outrage following an Israeli air attack that claimed the lives of at least 500 people, according to Palestinian officials.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swiftly condemned the hospital's targeting, deeming it a "hideous war massacre" that cannot be tolerated. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, placed blame on what he called "barbaric terrorists in Gaza," disassociating the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) from the attack.

Tensions flared further as Daoud Shehab, a spokesman for the Islamic Jihad, rejected Netanyahu's claim, calling it a "lie and fabrication," and asserting that the Israeli occupation was attempting to conceal a "horrifying crime and massacre" committed against civilians.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urgently called for an "immediate" ceasefire in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Guterres emphasized that the actions of Hamas did not justify the "collective punishment" of the Palestinian people.

Adding to the human toll, at least 37 more individuals lost their lives in separate air raids, targeting two neighborhoods within a refugee camp in northern Gaza, as reported by Palestinian officials.

As the conflict raged on, the Israeli army identified two more soldiers who lost their lives since the war's outbreak on October 7.

Diplomacy and Protests

In the wake of the al-Ahli Arab Hospital attack, diplomatic efforts faced a setback. Jordan canceled a summit scheduled to be held in Amman, which would have brought together US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Egypt and Palestine to discuss the Gaza situation, citing outrage over the incident.

President Biden, who is on his way to Israel, expressed his sorrow in a statement, saying, "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."

Across the Arab world, condemnation of the hospital blast echoed, with protests taking place near Israel's embassies in Turkey and Jordan. In Lebanon, near the US embassy, security forces employed tear gas to disperse demonstrators.

In Ramallah, Palestinian security forces also used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse protesters who were expressing anger against President Mahmoud Abbas in the aftermath of the deadly hospital attack.

Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group, denounced what it described as Israel's deadly attack on the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, which is operated by the Anglican Church. Hezbollah called for "a day of unprecedented anger" against Israel and Biden's visit.

International Response

The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on Wednesday on a resolution drafted by Brazil, which calls for humanitarian pauses in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. These pauses are intended to allow humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip, where the civilian population is facing increasing hardship due to the prolonged hostilities.

In response to the escalating conflict, the US State Department will continue to offer government-sponsored charter flights to Europe from Tel Aviv, facilitating the departure of American citizens from Israel through at least Sunday.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau highlighted a concerning surge in anti-Semitism in Canada following the exchange of hostilities between Hamas and Israel and the subsequent Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.

The situation remains deeply fluid, with the international community intensifying its calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities to prevent further loss of life and suffering in the Gaza Strip.

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