Israel-Hamas war

USA: All our information indicates that Israel was not behind the hospital attack  

The US view is that Israel did not attack al-Ahli hospital in Gaza. That's what Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the US National Security Council, writes in a post on X.  

 

The analysis is based on "images taken from above, intercepted communications and information from open sources", she continues.  

 

Earlier, President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it "appears to have been the other team, not yours" that carried out the attack Tuesday night, according to the AP.  

 

Israel has accused the Islamic Jihad terrorist group of being behind the attack, while Hamas and the Palestinian Authority blame Israel. 

 

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Analysis: Biden's visit may have made the situation worse  

 

Joe Biden's visit to Israel on Wednesday, and his support for their statement on the hospital attack, prompted angry protesters to flock to Lebanon and Jordan. Sky News' Alex Rossi writes. 

 

In virtually the entire Arab world, no one believes that it was anything other than an Israeli attack, he continues. 

 

 “(Biden) hopes to prevent the conflict from spreading, but the United States is not seen as an honest mediator in this region. Instead, unwavering solidarity with Israel could make the crisis much worse.”  

 

For Israel, it is most important that the US and the UK believe their version, according to DN's Nathan Shachar. 

 

"Since the Palestinian side has not yet presented any clear evidence for its version, nor has it countered the Israeli reasoning, it is unlikely that the hospital tragedy will affect the course of the war directly." 

 

Biden set the tone for America's expectations of Israel when he said that the country "does not live by the rules of terrorism, but the principles of the rule of law" and must be clear about its goals, writes the BBC's Paul Adams. 

 

"It was a clear warning to the Netanyahu government: don't go too far." 

 

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Several police officers injured in demonstrations in Amman  

A number of police officers have been injured in clashes with protesters near the Israeli embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman, the police authority said, according to Reuters.  

 

Riot-equipped police have been deployed to meet the thousands of people protesting Israel's bombing of Gaza at the heavily fortified embassy. The demonstrators have set several fires in the area.  

 

Security forces and protesters have also clashed in Lebanon's capital, Beirut. Rock throwing by the crowd has been answered with tear gas and water cannons at the US Embassy. 

 

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Foreign Ministry tightens Lebanon advice - advises against all travel  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs tightens its travel advice for Lebanon and now advises against all travel until further notice, writes TT.  

 

The reason is the deteriorating security situation in the region after the Israel-Hamas war broke out, and the risk of the fighting spreading.  

 

Around the same time, the British Foreign Ministry issued its own travel advisory, urging British citizens to leave the country "while commercial alternatives are available," according to Reuters. 

 

The Swedish Foreign Ministry has three levels of advice: non-essential travel, all travel, and an invitation to leave the country.