The White House said on Wednesday it is “gravely concerned” by a strike on an UNRWA facility in Gaza that the organization claimed had led to “mass casualties” and which Palestinian Arab officials blamed on Israel.
“While we don’t yet have all the details on what happened and will continue to seek further information regarding today’s incidents, the loss of every innocent life is a tragedy,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement quoted by CNN.
“This conflict has already resulted in the devastating deaths and injuries of tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, and we mourn every single civilian life that has been lost,” she added.
Watson reemphasized the US' "support for Israel's right to defend itself, consistent with international humanitarian law" and said the US would “continue working to increase life-saving humanitarian assistance into Gaza and to bring home all of the hostages held there.”
The statement came after UNRWA, the UN agency for “Palestinian refugees”, said a building sheltering displaced people was hit in Khan Younis, killing at least nine and injuring 75 others.
The IDF said it ruled out that an Israeli aerial or artillery strike hit the UNRWA facility.
“After an examination of our operational systems, the IDF has currently ruled out that this incident is a result of an aerial or artillery strike by the IDF,” the IDF said in a statement.
It added that a “thorough review of the operations of the forces in the vicinity is underway” and that it is "examining the possibility that the strike was a result of Hamas fire.”
Near the start of the war in Gaza in October, Hamas blamed Israel for an explosion at an Anglican hospital in the Gaza Strip, claiming hundreds were killed. An Israeli official said the death toll appeared to be "several dozen".
While Hamas, and some in the West were quick to blame Israel, the IDF later presented proof that the hospital was hit by an Islamic Jihad rocket.
The Israeli account was supported by US, French and Canadian analyses. Many media outlets were quick to believe Hamas’ claim and blame Israel, but some walked back their initial claims, including both CNN and the BBC.