German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed horror at images of an explosion at a hospital in Gaza that left hundreds dead and called for a thorough investigation into the incident.
“Innocent civilians were injured and killed. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims,” wrote Scholz on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday.
Scholz is expected in Egypt on Wednesday, where he is set to meet with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, following his visit to Israel.
At the same time, Russia’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday the hospital blast was a shockingly dehumanising crime and that Israel should provide satellite imagery if it was not involved.
Palestinian officials said an Israeli air strike hit the hospital while Israel blamed the blast at Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital on a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which denied responsibility.
“We qualify such a felonious deed as a crime – as an act of dehumanisation,” Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Radio Sputnik.
Zakharova said that there was a clear attempt by some to absolve themselves of responsibility and that it was not enough to simply make comments in the media on such an incident so Israel and the United States should provide satellite imagery.
“Please be so kind as to provide satellite images, and it would be nice if American partners did it,” Zakharova said.
(REUTERS)