Archbishop of Canterbury: False accusations of Israel involvement in Gaza hospital blast are ‘blood libel’

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says in Jerusalem that there is no reason to assume Israel was behind the October 17 blast at an Anglican Hospital in Gaza City, and that spreading false accusations about Israeli complicity is a “blood libel.”

“Don’t assume it’s Israel,” Welby says to The Times of Israel. “You have no proof.”

“Do not start propagating another blood libel,” he says to those blaming Israel.

The Anglican leader is on a solidarity visit after the blast at the Anglican hospital.

Israel has produced evidence showing the explosion was caused by an Islamic Jihad rocket misfire. The United States, also citing its own data, has endorsed the Israeli account.

However, the local Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem issued a statement blaming “the loss of hundreds of innocent civilians” on Israeli airstrikes.

Welby would not back that figure, saying only “I have no idea how many civilians there were, I’ve heard so many different numbers.”

Welby makes the comments after meeting with the family of slain 22-year-old IDF soldier of British descent, Sgt. First Class Yosef Malachi Guedalia, and with members of the Haran family from Kibbutz Be’eri, eight  of whom are missing or taken captive, and two of whom were killed on October 7.