At least 500 people killed in hospital bombing in Gaza, Palestinian officials claim

At least 500 people have been killed in a bombing of a hospital in Gaza City, the Palestinian Health Ministry has claimed.  

A spokesman for the ministry said in a statement: “Initial  estimates indicate that between 200 and 300 martyrs were killed in the  bombing that targeted Baptist Hospital in Gaza city.”  
The ministry later revised the figure to at least 500, AP and Reuters reported. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are investigating what happened at the hospital.  

Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said  there were still no details on the hospital deaths, adding: “We will get  the details and update the public. I don’t know to say whether it was  an Israeli air strike.”  

Hamas released a statement following the blast calling it a “crime of genocide”.  

The militant group said: “The horrific massacre carried out  by the Zionist occupation in the Gaza City’s Al-Ahly Hospital which  left hundreds of casualties, most of them displaced families, patients,  children and women, is a crime of genocide that once again reveals the  ugly face of this criminal enemy and its fascist and terrorist  government. (Sky News)