Gaza Conflict Highlights: Israeli Airstrike In Gaza Destroys Media Building

Balkrishan Baweja

4 years ago

Gaza Conflict: The building also had other offices and residential apartments.

An Israeli airstrike has destroyed a multi-storey building that housed the offices of media entities like Associated Press and Al-Jazeera, in the restive Gaza strip. The building also had other offices and residential apartments. The strike came around an hour after the Israeli forces warned to evacuate the high-rise building. Scores of people, including women and children, have been killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza since Monday. Hamas has also fired hundreds of rockets into Israel during the period, killing 10 people.

Here are the highlights on Israel-Palestine conflict:

May 16, 2021 00:05 (IST)

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu Speaks To US President Joe Biden
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Joe Biden that Israel did its utmost to safeguard civilians in its Gaza bombing campaign, after an airstrike demolished a tower hosting the Associated Press news agency, news agency reported.

May 15, 2021 20:45 (IST)

Safety, Security Of Media A Paramount Responsibility: US Tells Israel
The White House said it has cautioned Israel about the importance of protecting independent media after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza destroyed a building housing the bureaus of the Associated Press and Al Jazeera.

“We have communicated directly to the Israelis that ensuring the safety and security of journalists and independent media is a paramount responsibility,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted.

May 15, 2021 20:10 (IST)

Won’t Be Silence: Says Media House After Israel Airstrike
Al Jazeera said Saturday it would not be silenced, after an Israeli air strike on Gaza demolished the building housing the Qatar-based broadcaster as well as US news agency The Associated Press, reported.

”It is clear that those who are waging this war do not only want to spread destruction and death in Gaza, but also to silence media that are witnessing, documenting and reporting the truth of what is happening in Gaza,” said Walid al-Omari, Al Jazeera’s Jerusalem bureau chief.

May 15, 2021 19:12 (IST)

According to foreign media, Hamas has fired over 2,000 rockets into Israel since Monday, killing 10 people and injuring 560. 139 Gazans have been killed and 950 wounded.

May 15, 2021 18:56 (IST)

Israel Claims Building Housed Hamas Military Assets

Israel has alleged that Hamas had its military assets in the building. It alleged that the terror group used the media as human shields.

“Fighter jets attacked a high-rise building which hosted military assets belonging to the military intelligence of the Hamas terror organisation,”.

“The building also hosted offices of civilian media outlets, which the Hamas terror group hides behind and uses as human shields,” it added.

May 15, 2021 18:52 (IST)

Wael al-Dahdouh, Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in Gaza told news agency : “It’s terrible, very sad, to target the Al Jazeera and other press bureaux”.

May 15, 2021 18:45 (IST)

Jawad Mehdi, the owner of the Jala Tower, said an Israeli intelligence officer warned him he had just one hour to ensure the evacuation of the building, news agency reported.

May 15, 2021 18:42 (IST)

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said on Friday that Israel had no plans of stopping its attacks against Hamas in Gaza.

“They attacked our capital, they fired rockets at our cities. They’re paying and will continue to pay dearly for that,” he said.

May 15, 2021 18:35 (IST)

Israel “destroyed Jala Tower in the Gaza Strip, which contains the Al-Jazeera office and other international press offices,” Al-Jazeera said in a tweet.