Highly likely munition used in Gaza attack dropped from warplane — expert

A defence expert has dismissed Israeli military's claim that the hospital attack in besieged Gaza, which killed over 500 people, was caused by a misfired rocket from within the blockaded enclave, calling it unrealistic and asserting that if it was fired from Gaza, Israel's Iron Dome air defence system should have been activated.

Murat Aslan, senior research associate at the Foundation for Political, Economic, and Social Research [SETA] and associate professor at Hasan Kalyoncu University, spoke to Anadolu Agency in an interview about the bombing of the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday evening.

He said, while referring to various assessments made regarding the munition responsible for the attack, that "in attacks targeting populated areas, munition fuses can be time-delayed to explode 50-100 meters above the ground before hitting the target."

"This increases the impact of the attack. Looking at the area affected by the explosion and the traces left on the ground after the explosion in the attack on the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza, it can be suggested that the munition was set to explode prematurely in order to achieve an explosion in the air for a greater impact. This seems to have ensured a wider area of effect for the explosion," he said.

Aslan said, "If a rocket of such magnitude that could cause such extensive damage were to be fired, the [Israeli] Iron Dome air defence system would have to be activated."

"It would be very difficult for the Islamic Jihad [Palestinian resistance group] to execute such a precise strike even from the [occupied] West Bank without being intercepted by the Israeli air defence system," he said.

"If the rocket's calibre is reduced, the deaths of more than 500 people are no longer possible."

"Furthermore, given that the rocket is unguided and follows a sloping trajectory, a vertical descent onto the hospital appears unlikely," he said.

Howitzer munition not possible

Earlier on Wednesday, the Gaza Health Ministry revised the casualty figures, stating that nearly 500 people were killed and hundreds of others were injured in an Israeli air strike on Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza late on Tuesday.

Aslan also dismissed Israel's claim that the attack was caused by a "howitzer munition," saying, "This possibility is not realistic due to the required range."

"A howitzer munition has a radius of 30-50 metres. It cannot, however, result in such a high casualty count," he said.

He emphasised that there is a high likelihood that the munition used in the attack was dropped from a warplane.

"Therefore, the possibility of Israel using the MK82 bomb, which they have used before and can guide through a kit, is emphasised," Aslan said.

"To provide a definitive statement, the examination of munition fragments and research in the area is necessary. However, the current situation makes this difficult."