The explosion at the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza has sparked a wave of protests in the Middle East, extending even beyond the region's borders. Hamas promptly blamed Israel for the incident, although the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) asserted that it resulted from a failed launch by the Islamic Jihad.
These demonstrations erupted in response to Hamas's call for revenge, characterizing the event as a "massacre" and claiming that 500 lives were lost in the explosion. One notable location where protests erupted was Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority. In Ramallah and other West Bank cities, clashes unfolded between protesters and Palestinian Authority security forces. Demonstrators hurled stones at security personnel, who responded with crowd-dispersal measures.
Angry protesters are trying to break into the Israeli embassy in Amman, Jordan.🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/7kYQEdnDxD
— Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis (@DrLoupis) October 18, 2023
Lebanon also became a focal point of protests, with hundreds clashing with Lebanese security forces outside the US embassy in Awkar, near Beirut. Protesters were seen throwing stones and brandishing Palestinian flags. Lebanese authorities resorted to firing tear gas grenades to disperse the crowd.
In the midst of these events, Hezbollah declared an "unprecedented day of rage." It coincided with US President Joe Biden's visit to Israel, adding further tension to the demonstrations in front of the American embassy. In response, the US issued travel warnings, advising its citizens not to travel to Lebanon. Protests in Lebanon also spilled over to the French embassy, where demonstrators displayed Hezbollah flags and pelted stones at the entrance.
Angry mobs are forming in front of a bunch of American, European and Israeli Embassies tonight. Some are pushing past security and starting fires.
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 18, 2023
Videos of some ⬇️
US Embassy In Beirut, Lebanon
US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq
French Embassy In Tunisia
Reports of Turkey and Yemen… pic.twitter.com/95NQyIcJy7
Amman, the capital of Jordan, witnessed several hundred protesters marching towards the Israeli embassy. It's worth noting that the embassy had been evacuated since the beginning of the war due to concerns about potential demonstrations. Jordanian security forces intervened to prevent the demonstrators from reaching the embassy, using tear gas to disperse the crowd. Recent days have seen multiple protests near the Israeli embassy in Jordan following the ongoing conflict.
Confirmed:
— BluntFrank (@M999391) October 18, 2023
US Embassy in Beirut being burnt to the ground after blast kills hundreds in Gaza hospital
pic.twitter.com/oYUk6qisH1
Meanwhile, in Istanbul, Turkey, hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the Israeli consulate. Some protesters wore masks, set fires in the streets, and launched fireworks. These protests came in the wake of an Israeli government warning advising all Israelis in Turkey to depart as soon as possible.
