Israeli authorities have denied responsibility for the deadly explosion which rocked the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza, suggesting that a faulty rocket fired by Palestinian militants themselves was to blame.

An IDF spokesperson added: "Intelligence from multiple sources we have in our hands indicates that Islamic Jihad is responsible for the failed rocket launch which hit the hospital in Gaza.

"An analysis of IDF operational systems indicates that a barrage of rockets was fired by terrorists in Gaza, passing in close proximity to the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza at the time it was hit."

The claim could not be indepedently verified and Palestinian Islamic Jihad — designated a terrorist group by Israel, the EU and the US, among others — has denied the accusation.

Mark Regev, senior adviser to Netanyahu, told the BBC that Hamas was behind the strike.

"We know that at the time of this tragedy in Gaza, there was a huge barrage against targets in central Israel," Regev said.

"Hamas put out a statement that they were sending a long-range rocket on [the northern Israeli city of] Haifa at this time. Now, no rocket actually reached Haifa. Where did that rocket go? Where did it land?"

"I urge you to be cautious. There are very serious indications that it's not us," Regev continued. "Hamas wants to have a propaganda victory, saying Israel has killed innocent civilians. There's no evidence to support that claim."

The strike on the al-Ahli hospital was the bloodiest single incident in Gaza since Israel launched its retaliatory bombing campaign against Hamas targets in the densely populated strip.