UPDATE - Bombing of hospital in Gaza shows ‘dramatic situation’ of people there: European Council chief

ADDS MORE REMARKS FROM MICHEL, COMMENTS BY EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT, CHANGES DECK

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - European Council President Charles Michel said Tuesday that the bombing of the Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza shows the dramatic situation of the people living there.

"I would like to express my emotional reaction to the recent information according to which an explosion occurred in a hospital in Gaza with a large number of casualties. This shows the dramatic situation in which the people there found themselves," Michel said in a joint press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following a video conference with European Union members on the latest developments in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

He then slammed Israel’s blockade on Gaza.

"A complete blockade, when you destroy basic infrastructure, when you block access to water, electricity, when you do not allow food to be delivered -- this does not comply with international law," he said.

Von der Leyen said: "I have just been informed about this incident. I need confirmation. I can't comment on this at the moment."

Earlier, more than 500 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza, Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told Anadolu.

Footage on social media showed corpses scattered across the hospital grounds.

According to an Anadolu reporter, thousands of Palestinians were at the hospital when the building came under bombardment.