A building that housed the Associated Press and Al Jazeera office along with private housing has been destroyed after an Israeli airstrike targeted the area in Gaza City.
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According to local reports, journalists and residents were reportedly warned to evacuate from the building one hour before the airstrike took place. Israeli officials said in a statement that they targeted the high-rise building because “it hosted military assets belonging to the military intelligence of the Hamas terror organization. The building also hosted offices of civilian media outlets, which the Hamas terror group hides behind and uses as human shields.”
Al Jazeera said in response to the attacks that Israel’s government needs to be held accountable for its actions as the bombing sends a message to stop journalists from reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Al Jazeera condemns in the strongest terms the bombing and destruction of its offices by the Israeli military in Gaza and views this as a clear act to stop journalists from conducting their sacred duty to inform the world and report events on the ground,” the statement read. Al Jazeera promises to pursue every available route to hold the Israeli government responsible for its actions,” their statement reads.
Oh my god. The building where al Jazeera’s office is housed has just been taken down by Israeli airstrikes. There was a warning and evacuated. It houses offices and private homes. I can’t believe it. pic.twitter.com/Q4luRYk9H9
— Stefanie Dekker (@StefanieDekker) May 15, 2021
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Associated Press CEO and President Gary Pruitt called the situation horrifying and said “This is an incredibly disturbing development. We narrowly avoided a terrible loss of life. The world will know less about what is happening in Gaza because of what happened today.”
SOURCE: Al Jazeera