GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Missiles or rockets struck within yards of Gaza's main hospital and a nearby refugee camp Monday, leaving at least 10 dead and dozens more wounded.
The Israeli military denied initial reports that its forces were responsible for the strikes, saying instead that the bombing was the result of rockets misfired by Palestinian militants — while Hamas cast blame back at Israel.
The explosion near Shifa Hospital around 5 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) caused some damage to the outpatient clinic, according to witnesses including an NBC News crew on the ground in the area. Two people were injured at the hospital, according to officials.
Another strike occurred at the Al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza. A Palestinian health official says at least 10 people, including children, were killed in Monday's strikes and dozens were injured. An NBC News team in the area said the strikes were in "close succession."
"We came out of the mosque when I saw the children playing with their toy guns. Seconds later a missile landed," said Munther Al-Derbi, a resident of the camp. "May God punish … Netanyahu," he said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that failed rocket launches by Palestinian militants were to blame.
"A short while ago Al-Shifa hospital was struck by a failed rocket attack launched by Gaza terror organizations. A barrage of three rockets that were aimed towards Israel, struck the hospital. At the time of the incident there was no Israeli military activity in the area surrounding the hospital whatsoever. "
Hamas later text messaged a statement to journalists, blaming the IDF — and alleged they had proof of Israeli responsibility.
"The story being put forth by the 'Occupation' that resistance rockets fell in Shifa Hospital and at the Children's Park in the Al-Shati Refugee camp is a failed attempt to escape from this crime and its fears that this crime will be exposed and held judicially accountable," said Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri.
"In addition, Israeli shrapnel has been collected as evidence from these scenes," the message from Zuhri said.
Early reports from the ground had said an Israeli drone appeared responsible for the attack.
Israel has been criticized for several strikes which hit hospitals in the Gaza Strip during its recent offensive.
Last week, charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said health workers in Gaza were coming under fire and urged Israel to stop its strikes.
The United Nations also Israel may have committed war crimes by shelling hospitals and civilian houses where it claims Hamas is hiding personnel and rockets.
Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have been locked in three weeks of fighting which have killed 1,049 people in Gaza, mostly civilians. Some 43 Israeli soldiers have died along with three civilians killed by projectiles within Israel.
Hasani Gittens and Reuters contributed to this report.
First published July 28 2014, 7:33 AM
Ayman Mohyeldin
Since joining NBC News in September 2011, Mohyeldin has reported on the Arab world, including Egypt, Libya, Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Gaza and Lebanon. Inside Syria, Ayman traveled across the country reporting exclusively on the Syrian war, both with opposition rebels and government officials. He also has reported from Europe and across the U.S.
Prior to joining NBC, Mohyeldin was a correspondent for Al Jazeera English based in Cairo, where he was at the epicenter of Arab uprisings covering the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. From May 2008 until May 2010, Ayman was the only foreign broadcast journalist based in the Gaza Strip, a period in which he was the only American reporter covering the 2008-09 War on Gaza.
From 2003 to2006, he was based in Baghdad, covering the immediate aftermath of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, the daily struggle of ordinary Iraqis and the Iraqi insurgency. Mohyeldin was among the few international journalists allowed to observe and report on the U.S. handover of Saddam Hussein to an Iraqi judge.
In 2011, Time Magazine named Mohyeldin as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Mohyeldin’s reporting has won a Peabody Award, the UK’s Cutting Edge Media Award and Argentina’s Perfil International Press Freedom Award. He also has received multiple Emmy nominations.
Mohyeldin was born in Cairo, Egypt and grew up in the U.S. and the Middle East.