French intelligence points to Palestinian rocket, not Israeli airstrike, for Gaza hospital blast
By JOHN LEICESTER
Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — An assessment by French military intelligence indicates the most likely cause of the explosion at Gaza City’s al-Ahli hospital was a Palestinian rocket, according to a senior French military official. The official says the assessment points to a rocket carrying an explosive charge of about 5 kilograms (11 pounds) and possibly misfired. The military intelligence official said Friday that none of their intelligence indicates an Israeli strike was involved. Officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza blamed an Israeli airstrike for the hospital explosion Tuesday. Israel denied it was involved and released live video, audio and other evidence it said showed the blast was caused by a rocket misfired by Islamic Jihad, another Palestinian militant group. Islamic Jihad denied responsibility.