Jerusalem, Nov 26 (EFE).- An explosion near Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital on Oct. 17, amid the Israel-Hamas war, was likely caused by a "misfired rocket" similar to those commonly used by Palestinian militant groups, according to Human Rights Watch.

However, the rights group said further investigation was needed to determine who launched the apparent rocket and whether the laws of war were violated.

The watchdog released an investigative report on Sunday stating that a munition, not conclusively identified, hit a paved area inside the hospital compound where civilians sought shelter.

The Gaza health ministry reported that 471 people were killed and 342 injured in the explosion.

The rights group said it was unable to corroborate the significantly higher than other estimates count.

"It displayed an unusually high killed-to-injured ratio and appears out of proportion with the damage visible on site."

The incident sparked controversy and counter-accusations about who fired the bomb.

The Palestinian health ministry accused Israel of attacking the medical facility, while the Israeli Army said it was a failed projectile launched by the Islamic Jihad militant group.

"The victims and families of those killed or injured while seeking safety at the hospital deserve a full investigation to determine what happened and who was responsible," the rights group said.

Human Rights Watch said it was not able to visit the site and that there were "no known images of any munition remnants publicly available," preventing conclusive identification of the munition.

"However, the sound preceding the explosion, the fireball that accompanied it, the size of the resulting crater, the type of splatter adjoining it, and the type and pattern of fragmentation visible around the crater are all consistent with the impact of a rocket," the nonprofit said.

"Evidence available to Human Rights Watch makes the possibility of a large air-dropped bomb, such as those Israel has used extensively in Gaza, highly unlikely."

The rights group said Gaza authorities appeared to be in possession of remnants that would help make a conclusive determination of the munition that exploded at al-Ahli hospital.

A photo taken the evening of the explosion shows employees of the Explosive Ordnance Department, a specialized Gaza police unit, working on the crater, it said.

A witness who was at the hospital on the evening of the explosion told Human Rights Watch that employees of "the interior ministry took all the shrapnel that was on the site."

"Gaza authorities and Israel should publicly provide all information that they hold regarding the incident, in particular evidence concerning the munition remnants." EFE

© 2023 EFE News Services (U.S.) Inc., source EFE Ingles