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Blame continues to be traded for an explosion at al Ahli Hospital, in northern Gaza, which the territory’s health ministry said killed 500 people, warning the number of dead could rise to 800.

Hamas accused Israel of striking the hospital, calling it a “crime of genocide” amid its bombardment of the strip, but Jerusalem claimed a misfired rocket barrage by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group was responsible for the blast. They said they would – but have yet to – release definitive evidence.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “barbaric terrorists” in Gaza bombed the hospital, reiterating Israel’s military was not responsible.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared three days of mourning and cancelled a planned meeting with US President Joe Biden.

Footage taken the moment after the explosion showed fire engulfing parts of the hospital and frantic scenes as medics rushed to help the injured.

Reaction from around the world was swift, with Turkey, Iran, Jordan, Qatar and the World Health Organisation condemning the blast.

Hundreds of people took to the streets in Ramallah, West Bank, in protest, with some demonstrators clashing with security forces.

Hezbollah said today would be a “day of unprecedented anger” against Israel.

Joe Biden, who said he was “outraged” by the explosion, is expected to land in Israel this morning to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Away from the hospital blast, other key moments from the last 24 hours include:

• Six people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school run by the UNRWA aid agency at a refugee camp in Gaza;
• Hamas’s government office said at least 940 children and 1,032 women had been killed in Israeli airstrikes since 7 October;
• Israel said it “eliminated” senior Hamas commander Ayman Nofal in an airstrike;
• UNRWA warned all hospitals in Gaza could run out of fuel “in 24 hours”.

Israeli army tells Gaza City residents to evacuate

The Israeli military has urged Gaza City residents to move southward in a fresh advisory.

It said there was a “humanitarian zone” with aid available in Al-Mawasi, 17 miles down the coast.

“The IDF calls on Gaza City residents to evacuate south for their protection,” said the military. 

The statement repeated previous orders given by the military last week, which instructed more than one million civilians in northern Gaza to move to the south ahead of a potential ground offensive.