On its part, the Ministry of Interior and National Security offered its condolences to the families of the victims, explaining that the explosion resulted from several roadside bombs that were stored at one of the houses.

The Ministry, an in a press statement, identified the killed civilians as Khaled Saad, Samia Farahat, Mansour Al Batneiji and Mazen Elayyan.

The statement added that when medical crews stated moving the wounded and bodies of the dead to the hospital in Gaza City, a group of armed and masked men ravaged the reception area of the hospital, and broke doors and windows, followed by random shooting in the air outside the hospital, which led to hindering medics’ duty and the injury of six more civilians.

The Ministry noted that an investigation by its bomb squad discovered a separate room in one of the houses used by Hamas militants to manufacture makeshift explosives and bombs, and that a technical error occurred inside the room led to the fire and detonated the explosives inside.

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On the other hand, Hamas’ spokesman Musheer Al Masri, held the Israeli government responsible for the explosion, claiming an Israeli combat helicopter bombed the house with a missile.