Gaza hospital explosion sparks anger and protests in Arab countries

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🗞️ Driving the news: A devastating explosion occurred at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, allegedly killing hundreds
• The incident has sparked Anti-Israel protests across the Middle East and North Africa, adding to the region's existing tension

🔭 The context: Palestinian officials and arab leaders have condemned Israel over the blast
• The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) deny the claim, instead pointing fingers at Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants for a "failed rocket launch"

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The explosion, which further inflamed an already volatile situation, led to the hospital's destruction and sparked widespread protests in countries including Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt, and Tunisia due to heightened feelings of resentment and anger

⏭️ What's next: As blame is being assigned, it's vital to clearly understand what caused the blast; while the UN and Doctors Without Borders point to previous Israeli attacks on medical sites, the IDF has shared pictures implying the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital wasn't hit by such an airstrike

💬 One quote: "Hospitals, by the tenets of international humanitarian law, are sanctuaries, yet this assault has transgressed those sacred boundaries" (Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem)

📈 One stat: With Gaza home to 2.2 million people, the enclave has been under siege by Israel for more than a week, following a terror attack by Hamas on October 7th

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