The dispute over who is responsible for the explosion at a hospital in Gaza is ongoing but many people have already made up their minds. They are convinced Israel is responsible and so embassies around the region are under attack. Here’s the scene in Beirut. This tweet reads: “Protests in Beirut after attack on Gaza hospital, Hezbollah called tomorrow a day of anger”
Manifestazioni di protesta a Beirut dopo l’attacco all’ospedale di Gaza, domani Hezbollah ha chiamato una giornata della rabbia pic.twitter.com/ea4WugRjk5
— Gabriella Colarusso (@gabriella_roux) October 17, 2023
Hezbollah has indeed called for a day of anger tomorrow:
⚡️Hezbollah:
“All statements of condemnation and denunciation are no longer enough, and we call on the peoples of our Arab and Islamic nation to take immediate action in the streets and squares to express intense anger and put pressure on governments and states wherever they are…
— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) October 17, 2023
Another clip of people in the streets who are getting an early start on the day of anger.
وسط بيروت pic.twitter.com/b4Pa3fszCN
— مصدر مسؤول (@fouadkhreiss) October 17, 2023
Hezbollah supporters hang the Palestinian flag on the fence of the US Embassy in Beirut. pic.twitter.com/5qR5LELpeG
— Mike (@Doranimated) October 17, 2023
Teargas is being used to keep people away from the embassy.
Some 2/300 Protesters gathered in front of Us embassy in Beirut, Lebanese army trying to push them back with teargas #brirut pic.twitter.com/w9M2Spes9y
— Gabriella Colarusso (@gabriella_roux) October 17, 2023
The French embassy in Beirut is also surrounded and people are throwing rocks.
⚠️ French Embassy in Beirut Pelted by Rocks – Locals Rage Over Hospital Massacre pic.twitter.com/wXFZ03RmSy
— Angelo Giuliano (@Angelo4justice3) October 17, 2023
And a fire has been set at a UN building:
BREAKING:
Lebanese protesters attacking the UN building in Beirut pic.twitter.com/Ogv7jZJn9x
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 17, 2023
But Beirut is not the only place this is happening. In Amman, Jordan the Israeli embassy has been set on fire.
Jordanians trying to set on fire the Israeli Embassy in Amman. pic.twitter.com/VWmggQqZG8
— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) October 17, 2023
More on the scene in Jordan:
Scores of Jordanian protesters attempted to storm the Israeli embassy in Amman after an Israeli strike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip killed at least 500 people.
A Jordanian security source denied rumours that the protesters had managed to storm the embassy, and told Middle East Eye that the protesters had been dealt with and removed from the surroundings.
Anas Mahmoud, an eyewitness, told MEE: “A group managed to reach the checkpoint near the embassy, which is 200 metres away. Then, the public security officers arrived and dispersed them using tear gas.”
President Biden just tweeted this out (or someone on his behalf):
I am outraged and deeply saddened by the explosion at the Al Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza, and the terrible loss of life that resulted. Immediately upon hearing this news, I spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan, and Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel and have directed my national…
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 17, 2023
“…directed my national security team to continue gathering information about what exactly happened. The United States stands unequivocally for the protection of civilian life during conflict and we mourn the patients, medical staff and other innocents killed or wounded in this tragedy.”
So Biden is leaving the question of who is responsible open for the moment. Meanwhile in Jordan.
#BREAKING| Scenes of the vicinity of the Israeli embassy in #Amman, #Jordan, where dozens of Jordanians are breaking into the embassy in protest against the Israeli crimes in #Gaza. pic.twitter.com/pUIXcfMmX9
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 17, 2023
I’m using video from Quds News Network (above) because they have it, not because I agree with their pro-Hamas perspective. More from Jordan:
🚨🇺🇸🇯🇴BREAKING: A Huge demonstration in Jordan in front of the Israeli embassy demanding cutting ties with Israel after the hospital massacre.#Gaza #GazaAttack #GazaCity #IsraelGazaWar #IsraeliNewNazism #Gaza_under_attack #Gazagenocide#غزه_الان#المستشفى_المعمداني pic.twitter.com/lsvi8olUU1
— وينستون (@Xwinston_) October 17, 2023
A similar protest is taking place at Israel’s embassy in Ankara, Turkey:
BREAKING:
Mass-protest taking place in front of Israel's embassy in Ankara after the deadly strike on the Al-Ahly hospital in Gaza.
Both sides claim a rocket or missile from their opponent is behind the mass-casualty event.
Israel recommends its citizens to leave Turkey pic.twitter.com/kdLdIPAb2c
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 17, 2023
There are also big protests taking place in Egypt.
🛑 مسيرة شعبية مصرية تضامنا مع فلسطين .. ميدان الحصري 6 أكتوبر#Gaza pic.twitter.com/8RNrDCne9I
— omar elfatairy (@OElfatairy) October 17, 2023
Just this morning I wrote that Hezbollah and other bad actors were choosing to stay out of the war in Israel, leaving Hamas to face Israel on their own. In just a few hours this explosion at a hospital may have changed all of that.
Of course it ought to matter who is actually responsible for that explosion but in reality all of the people seen above had already made up their minds.
I’ll try to update this if anything more happens at one of these embassies. But regardless this won’t be over tonight. The protesters will be out in force tomorrow.
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