In a statement Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said the current U.S. assessment, based on “overhead imagery, intercepts and open source information,” found that Israel was “not responsible” for the blast at the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza. Earlier in the day, President Biden, visiting Israel in a show of support for the U.S. ally, said the strike appeared to have resulted from an “errant rocket fired by a terrorist group in Gaza,” echoing claims made by the Israel Defense Forces. The Gaza Health Ministry said the strike, which Palestinian authorities have blamed on Israel, killed 471 people. None of the claims could be immediately verified by The Washington Post. Separately, President Biden announced plans for an “unprecedented” aid package to Israel, as well as humanitarian aid to Gaza and the West Bank, in a speech laced with calls for restraint. On his flight back, Biden said Egyptian President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi would allow up to 20 trucks with humanitarian aid to pass through the Rafah crossing, which had been closed due to Israeli airstrikes, and deliver aid to Gaza.
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