Israel airstrikes destroyed a Gaza building hosting the offices of Associated Press and other media organizations on Saturday.
According to reports, Israel destroyed the Jala Tower in the Gaza Strip, which contains the offices of Associated Press, BBC, Al-Jazeera office, and other international press offices.
Journalists and other tenants managed to safely evacuate after Israel defense forces had warned the tower’s owner ahead of the strike.
Meanwhile a video showed the high-rise building owner Jawwad Mahdi, pleading over the phone with an Israeli intelligence officer to wait 10 minutes so journalists could retrieve their valuable equipment before it was bombed.
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“All I’m asking is to let four people… to go inside and get their cameras,” he said.
“We respect your wishes. We will not do it if you don’t allow it, but give us 10 minutes.”
However, the Israel intelligence officer denied and the airstrike proceeded as planned.
The Israeli military in a statement its fighter jets struck a high-rise building that contained military assets belonging to the intelligence offices of Hamas.
Meanwhile, AP President and CEO Gary Pruitt said they are shocked and horrified that the Israeli military would target and destroy the building housing AP’s bureau and other news organizations in Gaza.”
“The world will know less about what is happening in Gaza because of what happened today,” he said.
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The acting director general of Al Jazeera Media Network, Dr. Mostefa Souag, described the strike “barbaric” adding that Israel should be held accountable.
“The aim of this heinous crime is to silence the media and to hide the untold carnage and suffering of the people of Gaza,” Souag said in a statement.
The Israel military had denied that it targeted media in its recent airstrike.
The fighting between Israel defense forces and Palestinians erupted after Palestinians were evicted in their homes in East Jerusalem.
The heightened tensions which started in Jerusalem has spread across the region over the past week, with Jews and Arabs rioting in mixed cities of Israel. (RA)
