The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned the Israeli airstrikes on a Gaza hospital that resulted in the loss of a minimum of 500 lives on Tuesday. They are urging the "immediate" safeguarding of civilians in the Palestinian region.

Meanwhile Israel has denied responsibility for the strike and blamed Hamas terrorists.

The WHO “strongly condemns the attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital in north Gaza,” said the organisation’s head, Dr. Tedros Adhenom Ghebreyesus. “We call for the immediate protection of civilians and health care, and for the evacuation orders to be reversed.”

According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, an Israeli airstrike killed more than 500 people, both patients and civilians seeking shelter, while “hundreds” more remain under the rubble. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed Israel for such genocidal attack on a hospital calling on humanity to take action to stop Israel. Erdogan, who took to his X platform account, wrote: “Hitting a hospital containing women, children and innocent civilians is the latest example of Israel’s attacks devoid of the most basic human values. I invite all humanity to take action to stop this unprecedented brutality in Gaza."

On his side, Qatar’s foreign ministry strongly condemned the strike in a statement on the vicious attack. “The expansion of Israeli attacks over the Gaza Strip to include hospitals, schools, and other population centers is a dangerous escalation,” and warned of expanding the conflict.

The “Israel War Room” account on X, formerly Twitter, said there was “no air activity” by the Israel Defense Force (IDF) at the time of the explosion, and that it “coincided with a salvo of rockets launched at Israel,” suggesting that the “mass casualty event” at the hospital was “the result of a misfired rocket launch by Hamas.”

"#BREAKING: Reports suggest that the mass casualty event at the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City was the result of a misfired rocket launch by Hamas. No IDF air activity was reported at the time and the timing coincided with a salvo of rockets launched at Israel. Reminder: 30-40%..."

The Al-Ahli, also known as the Baptist Hospital, is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, an Anglican Christian denomination. It was reportedly full of Palestinians injured by Israeli airstrikes, as well as those who fled their homes after Israel ordered the “evacuation” of the northern part of Gaza Strip.

Hamas launched thousands of missiles at Israel and sent its militants across the border from Gaza on October 7. At least 1,300 Israelis were killed and thousands injured as a result of the surprise incursion, while up to 200 were taken hostage.

Israel on the other hand has killed over 3,000 Palestinians with children and women account over 70 per cent of the causalities.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared “war” on the Palestinian group and vowed to “dismantle” it, launching air and artillery strikes against Gaza amid a widely expected ground invasion of the densely populated territory.