Israel war: Ilhan Omar walks back comments on Gaza hospital explosion

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) walked back her comments regarding an explosion at Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza after evidence emerged that Israel was likely not behind it.

Following an explosion at the hospital on Tuesday that killed hundreds, Omar blamed the Israeli Defense Forces and called on President Joe Biden to push for a ceasefire immediately. Though it was widely reported that the hospital was likely hit by an Israeli airstrike, video evidence backed up the Israeli explanation that it was caused by a faulty rocket from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. After being made aware of the evidence, Omar became the first of the prominent “Squad” Democrats in Congress to walk back the remarks.

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“Our office cited an AP report yesterday that the IDF had hit a Baptist hospital in Gaza. Since then, the IDF denied responsibility and the US intelligence assessment is that this was not done by Israel,” Omar wrote in a post on X, previously known as Twitter, on Wednesday night.

“It is a reminder that information is often unreliable and disputed in the fog of war (especially on Twitter where misinformation is rampant). We all have a responsibility to ensure information we are sharing is from credible sources and to acknowledge as new reports come in,” she added.

She also called for an independent investigation into the blast to determine the culprit and cause.

On Tuesday night, Omar had issued one of the strongest condemnations in Congress over what she thought was an Israeli air strike.

“Bombing a hospital is among the gravest of war crimes. The IDF reportedly blowing up one of the few places the injured and wounded can seek medical treatment and shelter during a war is horrific,” she wrote on X. “@POTUS needs to push for an immediate ceasefire to end this slaughter.”

Other members of the progressive Squad were quick to blame Israel as well. Palestinian American Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) issued perhaps the strongest rebuke.

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“Israel just bombed the Baptist Hospital killing 500 Palestinians (doctors, children, patients) just like that,” Tlaib said. “[President Biden] this is what happens when you refuse to facilitate a ceasefire & help de-escalate. Your war and destruction only approach has opened my eyes and many Palestinian Americans and Muslims Americans like me. We will remember where you stood.”

As of the time of Omar’s post, Tlaib hadn’t backtracked on her comments, and she doubled down in several tweets.