Photo by Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images
Investigation combining the firsthand surgical testimony of British-Palestinian reconstructive surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu-Sittah with forensic spatial analysis to reconstruct the explosion at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City on October 17, 2023. Dr. Abu-Sittah was operating in the hospital at the time of the blast and provides a detailed medical and eyewitness account of the casualties. The investigation situates his testimony within a forensic examination of the physical evidence, addressing the contested narratives about the cause of the explosion, which killed hundreds of Palestinians sheltering at the facility. Essential for researchers and journalists working on the al-Ahli Hospital explosion and the broader question of attacks on medical facilities in Gaza and is valuable for anyone studying the intersection of medical testimony, forensic investigation, and the politics of contested narratives about civilian harm. Note: this investigation was initially published on October 17, 2024, and was updated on September 19, 2025.
