Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a review is underway with allied countries to determine the cause of the explosion and fire at a Gaza hospital earlier this week. U.S. President Joe Biden has indicated that so far evidence points to the culprit being a terrorist group in Gaza.
Mr. Trudeau told reporters on Oct. 19 that the “necessary time” would be taken to evaluate what Hamas says has caused the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians.
Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007 and is considered a terrorist group by the Canadian government, has claimed that an Israeli air attack was responsible for the hospital explosion. Israel says another Palestinian terrorist group bears the blame with a failed rocket launch.
Conservatives have asked Liberal ministers to revisit their previous statements about the incident now that new information has come to light.
“Our hearts were broken to see a hospital in Gaza struck by a missile,” Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre said during question period on Oct. 18.
“Disinformation peddled by Hamas and regurgitated by CBC was then amplified by the Prime Minister. Does he agree with President Biden that the offending missile originated with terrorists in Gaza?”
Mr. Poilievre did not immediately get assurances from the Liberals the record would be amended.
“Our hearts go out to the innocent Palestinian victims who have died as a result of this attack,” said Government House Leader Karina Gould.
“Our government has been unequivocal in condemning the terrorist attacks of Hamas against Israeli citizens. We are also adamant that attacks on civilians are wrong. We call on all parties to observe international law.”
Very shortly after Hamas claimed that Israel had targeted the al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza on Oct. 17, Mr. Trudeau issued a statement that international laws shouldn’t be violated.
“International humanitarian and international law needs to be respected in this and in all cases. There are rules around wars and it’s not acceptable,” he said.
‘Errant Rocket’
The claim that an Israeli air attack was responsible has been broadcasted by media outlets, but the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said the hospital was instead hit by a rocket fired in proximity by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which exploded mid-air and fell. This hypothesis has been backed by the U.S.“Based on the information we’ve seen, it appears the result of an errant rocket fired by a terrorist group in Gaza,” Mr. Biden said on Oct. 18.
Qatari state-funded outlet Aljazeera released on Oct. 19 what it says is a detailed video analysis of the events. Aljazeera had initially repeated claims from Hamas about an Israeli air raid.
It concludes there was no Israeli airstrike or air attack, but instead a Palestinian rocket was intercepted mid-air by Israel’s Iron Dome, an air defence system.
The system typically pulverizes rockets and seeks to avoid targeting them over populated areas, so that falling debris does not cause harm to civilians beneath.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly’s initial statement on the hospital incident was still available on X as of the afternoon of Oct. 19.
“Bombing a hospital is an unthinkable act, and there is no doubt that doing so is absolutely illegal,” she wrote.
Conservative MP and foreign affairs critic Michael Chong said Mr. Trudeau and Ms. Joly were “imprudent” to rapidly release statements on the matter while facts weren’t clearly established.
Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Oct. 7. The traditional barrage of rockets was accompanied by incursions via land, sea, and air by terrorists, which proceeded to massacre Israeli civilians in border areas.
Israel has since retaliated by targeting Gaza with artillery and airstrikes, but has yet to commit to a ground offensive.
Thousands of Israelis and Palestinians have reportedly been killed on each side. Five Canadians and one woman with Canadian parents were killed by Hamas. Two other Canadians are missing, according to a Global Affairs Canada update from Oct. 17.
