New footage shows Israel struck Gaza's Nasser Hospital four times | BBC News

Key Concepts:

• NASA Hospital (Gaza): Largest hospital in southern Gaza, partially operational.
• Israeli Strikes: Four separate strikes on NASA Hospital on a single day.
• BBC Verify: Investigative unit that uncovered the four strikes.
• Double Strike: Initial reports indicated two strikes, later proven to be four.
• Munitions Experts: Analyzed damage to determine type of munition used.
• Trajectory: The path of the munition.
• Israeli Military Investigation: Ongoing investigation into the strikes.
• Evolving Statements: Changes in the Israeli government's explanation of the event.
• Hamas Camera: Claim by Israeli military that they were targeting a camera positioned by Hamas.

Timeline of Strikes:

1. 10:08 a.m. Local Time: First strike on the eastern staircase of NASA Hospital. Husam al-Masri, a journalist operating a live feed for Reuters, was killed.
2. Simultaneous Strike: At practically the same time as the first strike, the northern staircase was also hit. This strike was previously unreported. Footage shows smoke pouring out of the northern staircase and an injured person being carried down the stairs.
3. Nine Minutes Later: The eastern staircase was hit again. First responders and journalists were killed in this strike.
4. Fraction of a Second: Analysis of video frame by frame reveals two projectiles hitting the eastern staircase within a fraction of a second of each other.

Evidence and Analysis:

• Footage: BBC Verify obtained footage showing smoke pouring out of both the northern and eastern staircases.
• Munitions Experts: Videos of the damage inside the hospital were shown to munitions experts. They determined the damage was consistent with a relatively small munition traveling at a relatively flat trajectory.
• Frame-by-Frame Analysis: Slowing down the video of the third and fourth strikes revealed two projectiles hitting the eastern staircase in quick succession.

Israeli Military Statements:

• Initial Statement: Regret for harm to uninvolved individuals.
• Benjamin Netanyahu: Called the event a "tragic mishap."
• Later Statement: Claimed they were targeting a "camera positioned by Hamas," but provided no evidence.
• Lack of Acknowledgement: The Israeli military has not acknowledged the multiple strikes on the hospital, even after being presented with BBC Verify's findings.

Key Arguments and Questions:

• The investigation raises questions about why Israel hit the hospital four times.
• The evolving statements from the Israeli military raise concerns about transparency and accountability.
• The lack of evidence supporting the claim of targeting a Hamas camera undermines the credibility of the Israeli military's explanation.

Conclusion:

BBC Verify's investigation uncovered that NASA Hospital in Gaza was hit four times by Israeli strikes, not twice as initially reported. The investigation raises serious questions about the circumstances of the strikes, the justification provided by the Israeli military, and the evolving nature of their statements. The lack of acknowledgement of the multiple strikes and the absence of evidence supporting the claim of targeting a Hamas camera further complicate the situation.