Headline
Israeli Strike Kills More Than 500 At Gaza Hospital
…Blame Hamas Militants, Not Israel For The Attack, IDF Reacts
…As Biden’s Mideast Trip Upended By Gaza Hospital Strike
Israeli air strikes on a hospital compound in the Gaza Strip killed at least 200 people, officials in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory said on Tuesday, sparking widespread condemnation and fury.
But Israel’s army blamed a rocket misfired by militants in Gaza.
Al Jazeera footage from the scene showed medics and civilians recovering bodies with white bags or blankets. Bloodstains and multiple torched cars were visible in the dark hospital courtyard.
The strike came just hours before US President Joe Biden was due in the Middle East, to balance US backing for Israel with stopping its war against Hamas from spiralling into wider regional conflict.
Thousands have been killed on both sides since Hamas’s deadly October 7 strike on Israel, with retaliatory air strikes and a siege of Gaza having a devastating impact on ordinary Palestinians.
In an escalation in tensions, the health ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza said between 200 and 300 people displaced by 10 days of heavy bombardment were killed in “occupation (Israeli) strikes” at the Ahli Arab hospital in central Gaza.
“Hundreds of victims are still under the rubble,” a statement said, calling it a “war crime”, and prompting condemnation from the World Health Organization.
Hospitals and their grounds have been seen as safe havens for Gazans made homeless or displaced by the bombing, as they have been relatively spared from strikes.
In the Jordanian capital Amman, dozens of protesters incensed by the strike in Gaza attempted to storm the Israeli embassy, an AFP correspondent said.
Jordan was among Arab and Muslim states condemning the hospital strike, as did Qatar.
Separately, the United Nations agency supporting Palestinian refugees said six people were killed when one of its schools sheltering displaced families was hit, during Israeli air strikes.
Biden’s trip will come 12 days after the Palestinian militants of Hamas — under cover of a rocket barrage — burst through Israel’s heavily fortified Gaza border, shooting, mutilating and burning more than 1,400 people.
Shell-shocked Israel has responded with withering air strikes against targets in Gaza, leaving about 3,000 Gazans dead, according to a toll from the health ministry in Gaza before the Ahli Arab strike.
Israel has also imposed a crippling siege on the impoverished territory and deployed tens of thousands of troops on the border with Gaza in preparation for a full-scale ground offensive.
It has vowed to destroy Hamas while also seeking to rescue the at least 199 hostages taken into Gaza by Hamas, which has released a video of one of the captives, French-Israeli woman Mia Shem.
Her mother, Keren Shem, made an emotional plea for her safe return. “I am begging the world to bring my baby back home,” she told a new conference in Tel Aviv.
Diplomatic bids to free the hostages have gathered pace. Turkey said it was in talks with Hamas to secure their release.
But there were mixed views about how effective Biden could be, with some Palestinians blaming the United States for backing Israel, and even Israelis sceptical.
“We don’t believe anymore in politicians,” said Omer Nevo, 23. “I don’t trust anyone anymore after what has happened here.”
Israelis are still reeling from the worst attack in the country’s 75-year history, which has sparked a mass mobilisation of reservists and the evacuation of residents from areas near Gaza and Lebanon.
In southern Israel, dozens of mourners gathered for the funeral of five members of the same family killed when militants attacked their kibbutz at Kfar Aza.
All five coffins were draped in Israeli flags.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, back in Israel after a whistlestop regional tour, said Biden’s visit would be a statement of “solidarity with Israel” and an “ironclad commitment to its security”.
Support also came from Germany, whose Chancellor Olaf Scholz was in Tel Aviv.
“The world must stand united behind Israel to defeat Hamas,” Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, alongside Scholz.
Washington has already sent two aircraft carrier strike groups to the eastern Mediterranean “to deter hostile actions against Israel”.
The Pentagon has put 2,000 troops on deployment alert to be able “to respond quickly to the evolving security environment in the Middle East”. US media said the troops would cover support roles such as medical assistance and handling explosives.
Israel’s arch foe Iran, which backs both Hamas and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants, has repeatedly warned against a Gaza invasion and Monday raised the spectre of a possible “pre-emptive action” against Israel “by the resistance axis.”
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday that “no one can stop” forces opposed to Israel if it keeps up its bombardment of Gaza.
Deadly flare-ups have rocked Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.
Israel’s army said Tuesday it had killed four militants attempting to infiltrate from Lebanon.
Hezbollah later said five of its fighters were killed “performing jihad”, taking the number of its fighters killed in the intensifying border skirmishes to 10.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby was asked on CNN whether US authorities had so far noticed Iran engaging in the conflict in new ways.
“Outside of the rhetoric…, no we haven’t,” he replied.
Biden will also try to quietly steer Israeli’s military response, as international alarm has grown about the devastating impact of the war on Palestinian civilians.
Entire neighbourhoods have been razed and survivors are left with dwindling supplies of food, water and fuel.
The health ministry in Gaza said hospitals were at breaking point, with more than 30,000 people taking shelter at the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City alone.
It said it was “extremely concerned” about disease outbreaks due to poor water supply and sanitation.
“There are corpses in the streets. Buildings are crashing down on their inhabitants,” said Jamil Abdullah, a Palestinian-Swede, hoping to flee the blockaded enclave.
“The smell of the dead is everywhere.”
UNRWA says more than one million Palestinians — almost half of Gaza’s population of 2.4 million — have fled their homes.
An UNRWA flour storage near Gaza City was hit by an Israeli strike, an AFP photographer said. Even as the smoke was still rising from the rubble, desperate residents collected flour from the ground.
“We are dying of hunger,” said Abu Hussni al-Hujein, 60.
Israel has ordered residents of north Gaza to leave for the south, hoping to clear the area of civilians in preparation for a ground assault that would involve gruelling urban combat.
Entire families, young children and the elderly have gathered belongings and fled to southern Gaza, bedding down in any available space, indoors and out.
Egypt kept closed Gaza’s only border crossing not controlled by Israel, Rafah, meaning there is no escape.
Israel has repeatedly struck the area on the Palestinian side and denied reports of any temporary ceasefire deal to open it.
Rafah’s closure has so far prevented the escape of thousands of Palestinian-Americans and others hoping to get out of Gaza, or the entry of relief goods now loaded on truck convoys waiting in Egypt.
For now Gazans remain trapped, with neighbouring Arab nations also fearful that if Palestinians leave the territory they could be permanently exiled.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden’s wartime trip to Israel and Jordan faltered before it got off the ground Tuesday, after the Amman leg was canceled following a strike on a Gaza hospital that killed hundreds of people.
The trip was always set to be the riskiest of Biden’s presidency as he tried to juggle support for Israel after the October 7 Hamas attacks with efforts to prevent a humanitarian disaster in Gaza and to avert a wider war.
But his regional balancing act came undone on the eve of his visit with news of the hospital explosion — for which Hamas blamed Israeli strikes, while Israel said it was caused by a rocket misfired by militants in Gaza
As Biden, 80, climbed the steps of Air Force One, Jordan announced that a planned four-way summit with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, Jordanian King Abdullah II and Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was off.
It would be held “when the decision to stop the war and put an end to these massacres has been taken,” said Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.
Biden later said he was “outraged” by the “explosion” at the hospital and had told his national security team to get more information on what had happened.
Also, Israel has denied it was responsible for the blast at a hospital in Gaza that the Hamas claims killed at least 500 people and has more trapped under rubble.
Intelligence information revealed that the strike that hit al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City was a rocket misfired by Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists, the Israeli army has claimed.
But a spokesman for Islamic Jihad has said this is ‘completely incorrect’ and accused the IDF of ‘trying to cover for the horrifying crime and massacre they committed against civilians’..
Hundreds of people were reportedly seeking shelter at the hospital at the time of the blast, which Hamas has called a ‘horrific massacre’ and a ‘crime of genocide’.
The carnage came as the US tried to convince Israel to allow the delivery of supplies to desperate civilians, aid groups, and hospitals in the tiny Gaza Strip, which has been under a complete siege since the deadly rampage by Hamas in southern Israel.
It also came a day before US President Joe Biden was due to visit the region to show support for Israel and try to prevent the war from spreading.
Palestine’s president Mahmoud Abbas is understood to have cancelled the meeting with Biden in protest over the airstrike.
An analysis of IDF operational systems has indicated that the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation is ‘responsible for the failed shooting that hit the hospital’.
The military, in a statement, said that a ‘barrage of rockets was fired by terrorists in Gaza, passing in close proximity to Ahli hospital in Gaza at the time it was hit’.
The Islamic Jihad is another Gaza-based terrorist group which has claimed to be fighting Israel alongside Hamas. The group has denied responsibility for the attack.
The Israeli army earlier on Tuesday said that a hospital is a ‘highly sensitive building’ and is ‘not an IDF target’, and urged ‘everyone to proceed with caution when reporting unverified claims of a terrorist organisation’.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has also blamed the United States for the attack, saying in a televised speech late on Tuesday that Washington gave Israel ‘the cover for its aggression.’
‘The hospital massacre confirms the enemy’s brutality and the extent of his feeling of defeat,’ he said, adding that the attack will be ‘a new turning point.’
AFP
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has slammed President Bola Tinubu over what he described as failed campaign promises, especially on electricity.
In a statement posted on his verified X handle on Monday, Obi reminded Nigerians of when Tinubu said they should not vote for him for a second term if he failed to provide steady electricity.
Obi said that thirty two months after taking office, instead of living by his powerful words, Tinubu has now abandoned the national grid, which has been performing abysmally under his watch.
According to him, Nigerians do not expect 100 percent fulfilment of promises, but they do expect 100 percent effort, accompanied by measurable improvements and clear explanations when gaps exist.
The former Anambra State governor added that leadership must serve the people, not isolate itself from their daily struggles.
The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, further stated that it is gross neglect and deeply worrisome when the seat of power abandons the national grid. He added that one would expect government institutions to lead efforts to strengthen and expand the grid so that other establishments, and ultimately citizens, can benefit.
He lamented that if those in authority disconnect themselves from the system, who then will connect the ordinary Nigerian to reliable power?
“Those were the powerful words then that inspired hope among Nigerians who longed for light in their homes, stability for their businesses, and growth for their nation.
“Yet, while Nigerians are still grappling with that unfulfilled categorical electoral promise, and without clear communication on the obstacles, if any, we read of a provision in the 2025 budget of about ₦10 billion for solar power at Aso Rock, and in the 2026 budget another humongous amount for upgrade and maintenance. Now we are being sarcastically told that the Presidential Villa has planned to be disconnected from the national grid to rely entirely on solar.
“Promoting renewable energy, as solar systems do, is commendable and necessary for the future.
“However, this situation reflects a deeper concern: governance lacking compassion and commitment to the governed. You cannot tell the people to fast while feasting yourself, securing yourself while Nigerians remain unsecured,” he wrote
The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has approved cash rewards totalling over ₦450 million for athletes and officials of Team Ogun following the state’s performance at the just-concluded National Sports Festival.
The governor announced the approval on Monday in Abeokuta during a ceremony held in honour of the medalists, noting that the state finished second overall with 239 medals — its best outing in the history of the festival.
In a statement made available to journalists by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, Abiodun described the achievement as a testament to the steady growth of sports development in the state, stressing that his administration remains committed to recognising excellence.
He disclosed that all training allowances, participation allowances and contractual fees owed to athletes and officials had been fully settled.
Abiodun added that “the immediate cash rewards earlier promised during his visit to the athletes’ camp were fulfilled, including ₦50,000 paid to every qualified athlete and instant bonuses for medal winners before the festival’s closing ceremony”
The governor also announced what he described as “a historic reward package for medalists: ₦2.5 million each for 93 gold medalists, ₦1.5 million each for 61 silver medalists, and ₦1 million each for 81 bronze medalists”.
He said additional provisions were approved for athletes in team sports to acknowledge their collective contributions.
He said, “The gesture is aimed at motivating athletes and encouraging young people across the state to embrace sports as a viable career path.”
Abiodun reportedly further approved “special financial support for technical officials, announcing ₦10 million for coaches through the Director of Coaching and ₦14.8 million for participating officials via the Director of Administration and Supply”.
He commended their discipline, mentorship and professionalism, describing them as key drivers of Team Ogun’s success.
The governor highlighted what he called the transformation of the sports sector in Ogun State, citing the hosting of international competitions, improved infrastructure, and greater utilisation of facilities by national teams and leagues.
He appreciated sports administrators, private sector partners and other stakeholders for supporting the growth of sports in the state.
Looking ahead to the next festival in Enugu, Abiodun urged athletes to remain focused and encouraged aspiring talents to participate in open trials and development programmes.
He congratulated Team Ogun for making the state proud and reaffirmed his administration’s continued investment in sports development.
The latest approval comes months after some athletes who represented the state at the festival staged a protest during the state’s 50th anniversary celebration, alleging non-payment of earlier promised rewards.
The athletes, who gathered at the arcade ground of the Governor’s Office in Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, said the government had failed to fulfil its pledge eight months after the competition.
One of them, a wrestler, Kehinde Paul, had appealed to the governor to redeem the promise, saying many of the athletes depended on the incentives for their livelihoods.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his reported declaration of war against anti-Tinubu candidates ahead of the February 21, 2026 elections.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on Monday, the party described the comment as irresponsible and dangerous.
According to the statement, it would not stop Nigerians from deciding who to vote.
The ADC said the minister’s remarks were troubling, especially at a time when the country is facing economic hardship, insecurity and political tension.
“We consider the Minister’s declaration of war against so-called anti-Tinubu candidates not only irresponsible, but dangerous in the current fragile atmosphere of our nation. At a time when Nigerians are grappling with unprecedented economic hardship, insecurity, and deep political distrust, the last thing the country needs is inflammatory rhetoric from those entrusted with public office.
“Nigeria must not be turned into a ground for settling political scores; it is a constitutional democracy. Power ultimately belongs to the people, not to any President, any Minister, or anyone who wrongly assumes that holding public office means owning the country,” the statement warned.
The party said it was reminding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nyesom Wike and other officials of the administration that Nigerians cannot be bullied or pressured.
It added that any attempt to threaten or force voters into submission only shows fear and exposes what it described as growing anxiety within Wike, Tinubu and the APC over their level of public support, as well as a widening disconnect between the government and many citizens.
“If Wike, the APC and its leaders are confident in their performance, they should submit themselves humbly to the verdict of the electorate.
“The ADC will not sit idly by and watch political actors truncate our democracy. Any attempt, overt or covert, to subvert the will of Nigerians to freely choose their leaders will be firmly resisted through every means at our disposal. We are prepared to mobilize democratic institutions, civil society partners, and the Nigerian people themselves in defense of the sanctity of the ballot,” the statement added.
“If they are confident in their performance, they should submit themselves humbly to the verdict of the electorate,” the ADC said.
The party also vowed to resist any attempt to interfere with the outcome of the election.
“Any attempt, overt or covert, to subvert the will of Nigerians to freely choose their leaders will be firmly resisted through every means at our disposal,” the statement read.
The ADC insisted that no declaration of war or political pressure would override the voice of the electorate in the February 21 polls.
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