Rishi Sunak says al Ahli hospital blast 'likely caused' by missile from within Gaza

Rishi Sunak has said the explosion at a hospital in Gaza was “likely caused” by a missile launched from within the territory and towards Israel.

The prime minister said the government had come to the conclusion “on the basis of the deep knowledge and analysis of our intelligence and weapons experts”.

It means the UK is in agreement with the US, where officials said the information gathered so far indicated Israel was “not responsible” for the blast.

In his statement to the Commons following his visit to Israel last week, the prime minister also confirmed the UK would send an additional £20m in humanitarian aid to Gaza.

He told the Commons: “As I indicated last week, we have taken care to look at all the evidence currently available.

“I can now share our assessment with the House. On the basis of the deep knowledge and analysis of our intelligence and weapons experts, the British government judges that the explosion was likely caused by a missile or part of one that was launched from within Gaza towards Israel.

Politics latest: Sunak announces £20m aid for Gaza and says Palestinians ‘suffering terribly’

“The misreporting of this incident had a negative effect in the region, including on a vital US diplomatic effort, and the tensions here at home.”

Posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly shared the prime minister’s statement and said: “We cannot rush to judgement when human lives are at stake.”

The prime minister’s statement today is the first time the UK has attributed responsibility for the incident at al Ahli hospital last week, which Gaza’s health ministry said killed up to 500 people – a figure the Israel Defence Forces suggested was inflated.

Hamas called the explosion a “crime of genocide” and blamed it on Israel.

Israel has denied any responsibility for the blast and said it was caused by a misfired rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group – an Islamist militant group based in Gaza which is smaller than Hamas but shares a similar ideology.

The US last week reached its own conclusion, with President Joe Biden saying the explosion appeared not to have been caused by Israel but “by the other team”.

The blast happened just before the US president arrived in Israel on Wednesday on a diplomatic mission to prevent the Israel-Hamas war from spiralling into a broader regional conflict.

However, the second half of his visit to the Middle East, in which he would have held talks with Palestinian, Jordanian and Egyptian leaders in Amman was cancelled following the bombing.

On Sunday, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK claimed Israel was responsible for the hospital blast.

Speaking to Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Husam Zomlot said: “Practically speaking, we don’t believe that firepower is owned by anybody, not only in Palestine, but in the region, except Israel.

“I know exactly the Israeli track record for 75 years… when they see an outcry by people of conscience… when they know that what they did was absolutely horrific, the first thing they do [is] they deny it.

“And the logic, always the logic… is it’s the Palestinians killing themselves.”

Mr Sunak told the Commons that the £20m in humanitarian aid would come on top of the £10m of support that has already been provided to help civilians in Gaza.

He said the Palestinian people were “suffering terribly”, with over 4,000 killed since the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October.

But he said the violence against Israel “did not end of the 7 October” and that the country remains “under attack”.

“Hundreds of rockets are launched at their towns and cities every day,” he said. “And Hamas still holds around 200 hostages, including British citizens.

“In Jerusalem, I met some of the relatives who are suffering unbearable torment. Their pain will stay with me for the rest of my days.”