Israel, however, denied it was responsible, pinning the blame on a misfired rocket aimed at Israeli territory fired by another Palestinian militant group, Islamic Jihad, from inside Gaza near the hospital.

Islamic Jihad has described the Hamas accusations as "lies."

The strike provoked outrage and condemnation from around the world, with protests on the streets of Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Yemen, and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The rages took place on the heels of Hamas' surprise attack on Israel last Oct. 7, killing thousands of people.

The attack is a dramatic escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict that started in 1948.

Israel has been striking back by launching air strikes over Gaza for 12 days now. Over 4,200 people have been killed, according to health officials.

Tens of thousands of families, who had been told to flee once the reprisals happened, flocked to courtyards and corridors of Gaza's overwhelmed hospitals in the belief they were a safe haven.

They were gravely mistaken.

Correspondents from Agence France-Presse saw dozens of bodies at the scene. Medics and civilians recovered bodies wrapped in white cloth, blankets, or black plastic bags. Bloodstains and torched cars could be seen in the hospital courtyard.

United States President Joe Biden, citing US intelligence, said Israel wasn't to blame for the strike as it was a "misfired rocket" from a "terrorist group."

Nevertheless, even countries with diplomatic relations with Israel, like Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, blamed Israel for the strike.

Governments in Europe have condemned the explosion, though without attributing blame. (with reports from AFP)