US Backs Israel, , Blaming Militants For Deadly , Gaza Hospital Attack.<br />CNN reports that the United States has <br />released its assessment of a deadly blast that <br />tore through the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza. .<br />On October 19, U.S. President Joe Biden <br />backed Israel's assessment that a misfire by <br />the Islamic Jihad militant group caused the blast.<br />On October 19, U.S. President Joe Biden <br />backed Israel's assessment that a misfire by <br />the Islamic Jihad militant group caused the blast.<br />The Islamic Jihad, a rival militant group of Hamas, <br />has denied responsibility for the attack, <br />calling the accusations "false and baseless.".<br />Citing U.S. intelligence, a spokesperson for the National Security <br />Council said that an analysis of open-source information, intercepts <br />and overhead imagery suggest Israel was "not responsible.".<br />Both Palestinian and Arab leaders <br />have claimed the hospital was struck amid <br />Israel's ongoing airstrikes on Gaza. .<br />According to the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza, <br />hundreds of people are believed to have been killed in <br />the attack, which has sparked protests across the region. .<br />Biden backed Israel's assessment of the attack while <br />meeting Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu <br />on a visit to show U.S. solidarity with Israel.<br />Biden backed Israel's assessment of the attack while <br />meeting Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu <br />on a visit to show U.S. solidarity with Israel.<br />Intelligence indicates that some Palestinian <br />militants in the Gaza Strip believed that the <br />explosion was likely caused by an errant <br />rocket or missile launch carried out by <br />Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The militants <br />were still investigating what had happened, Adrienne Watson, National Security Council spokesperson, via CNN.<br />However, CNN reports that numerous countries have urged <br />caution in attributing blame until investigations are complete <br />and the circumstances of the attack are made clear. .<br />The United Nations has called <br />for an independent investigation <br />of the deadly incident
