Hundreds killed in a massive strike at Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City

 The deadly strike on a hospital in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday is "totally unacceptable", the UN human rights chief said, insisting that the perpetrators must be held to account.

"Words fail me," Volker Turk said in a statement.

"Hundreds of people were killed -- horrifically -- in a massive strike at Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, including patients, healthcare workers and families that had been seeking refuge in and around the hospital.  The health ministry in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory said Israeli air strikes on the hospital compound sheltering displaced people had killed at least 200 people.

After Hamas, Arab countries blame Israel, IDF says analysis shows errant rocket fired by terror group hit Al-Ahli hospital; videos appear to support Israel’s position -- Times of Israel 

The Israeli army said the strike was a rocket misfired by the Gaza-based militant group Islamic Jihad.

"Hospitals are sacrosanct, and they must be protected at all cost," said Turk.

"We don't yet know the full scale of this carnage, but what is clear is that the violence and killings must stop at once."

Besides the hospital strike, Turk noted that at least six people were killed earlier Tuesday when a UN-run Gaza school they were sheltering in was hit. At least 4,000 people had taken refuge there.

"All states with influence must do everything in their power to bring an end to this horrendous situation," the UN high commissioner for human rights said.