Plus: Joe Bidenâs visit in Israel, Vladimir Putin given red carpet treatment in China
| | | | | | | Hello. My colleagues from BBC Verify have been spending the past 24 hours poring over footage of the blast that hit the Al Ahli hospital, in order to establish what happened. So far, the findings are inconclusive when it comes to determining the origin of the blast. Our diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams is giving us his analysis of US President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel. And stick around for a bit of good news featuring crab-like creatures. |
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| | | | | | Questions Answered | | What we know of the Gaza hospital blast | | | | BBC Verify analysis of the blast near the Al Ahli hospital. Credit: EPA/BBC |
| | Amid claims and counter-claims on the origins of the blast feared to have killed hundreds near a Gaza hospital, getting to the truth is harder than ever. My colleagues on the BBC Verify team have been working to unravel what is and isn't known, according to footage, eyewitness accounts and expert analysis. | | | | What do we know about the blast? | | The explosion happened at around 19:00 local time on Tuesday. Based on available evidence, it appears the explosion happened in a courtyard which is part of the hospital site. Images of the grounds after the blast do not show significant damage to surrounding hospital buildings. What the images do show includes scorch marks and burnt-out cars. | | What are experts saying? | | So far the findings are inconclusive. One weapon expert says the blast is not consistent with what you would expect from a typical Israeli airstrike. Another says the evidence looks like the explosion was caused by a failed rocket section hitting the car park. Several experts we spoke to were not willing to put forward a view on what happened. | | What was found at the scene? | | BBC reporter Rushdi Abu Alouf was at the hospital this morning. Witnesses there report scenes of devastation, and say bodies are still being collected. Women, children and elderly people were at the hospital when the explosion happened, a man said. An important part of missing evidence is missile fragments, which can often be used to determined the projectile's origin. We have not seen any fragment yet. | | | | • | ‘We thought it would be safe’: Rushdi Abu Alouf reports from the scene where body parts were still collected today. |
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| AT THE SCENE | Tel Aviv, Israel | | Biden’s speech full of content | | | | Mr Biden announced an agreement has been reached with Israel to allow humanitarian aid to move from Egypt into Gaza. Credit: Reuters | | Joe Biden is back on Air Force One after he spent eight hours speaking with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, officials and families. In his speech to the press, he showed steadfast support for Israel. | | | | Paul Adams, Diplomatic correspondent |
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| In the wake of yesterday’s devastating explosion in Gaza, and with half of President Biden’s mission - the summit in Amman - shelved, it’s fair to say that expectations today were low. But Biden’s news conference late this afternoon finally revealed what more than a week of intense US diplomacy has been all about. Beyond the president’s rhetoric - moving words about grief and the depth of America’s commitment to Israel - his speech was full of real content.
Israel, he said, had finally agreed to let aid into the Gaza Strip from Egypt. This was confirmed by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office, which said that "in light of President Biden’s demand, Israel will not thwart humanitarian supplies from Egypt, as long as it is only food, water and medicine for the civilian population". None of this, it said, should reach Hamas, and no aid would enter from Israel as long as Israeli hostages are not returned. Joe Biden also talked about hostages, saying he could not speak publicly about all the details, but that as president, there was "no higher priority" than their safe return. It’s clearly a major focus of his efforts. |
| | | | • | Analysis: Joe Biden's search for a Middle East solution just got harder, writes our international editor Jeremy Bowen. | | • | Hostages: Fears grow in Israel and in Poland for the 75-year-old Holocaust historian Alex Danzig, kidnapped by Hamas 11 days ago. |
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| | The big picture | | Blue colours shining through | | | | Blue LEDs light up Michigan Stadium, the largest sports arena in the US. Credit: Michigan Photography |
| | When it comes to LEDs, all colours are not created equal. Bright LEDs that emit blue light were only invented in the 1990s, and the material used to produce the hue was difficult to manufacture without defects. But a lot of progress is being made on the technology, making it more efficient and powerful. As my colleague Chris Baraniuk puts it: there is still plenty of room to glow. | | | | |
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| | | | For your downtime | | Back into the wild | | Rewilding takes root in the Scottish Highlands | | |
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| And finally... in the ocean | | An army of small crab-like creatures might not sound like good news. But research from the University of Exeter, in the UK, suggests the tiny, drifting crustaceans known as copepods "may help to store enormous amounts of carbon in the ocean". Scientists believe they could help slow climate change. Copepods certainly sound more useful than they are beautiful. |
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| | | | | | Future Planet | | Explore the wonders of our amazing planet. | | |
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