Boom!
Fox News has before-and-after photos of the Gaza high-rise building targeted by Israel which formerly housed Hamas and such other villainous organizations as Associated Press and Al-Jazeera.
Hamas and other militant groups have fired some 2,900 rockets into Israel. The military said 450 of the rockets had fallen short or misfired, while Israeli air defenses intercepted 1,150.
The interception rate appeared to have significantly dropped since the start of the conflict, when Israel said 90% were intercepted. The military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. …
Israel has leveled a number of Gaza City’s tallest office and residential buildings, alleging they contain Hamas military infrastructure. On Saturday, Israel bombed the 12-story al-Jalaa Building, where the office of The Associated Press was located. The building also housed the TV network Al-Jazeera and other media outlets, along with several floors of apartments.
“The campaign will continue as long as it is required,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. He alleged that Hamas military intelligence was operating inside the building.
Israel routinely cites a Hamas presence as a reason for targeting certain locations in airstrikes, including residential buildings. The military also has accused the militant group of using journalists as human shields, but provided no evidence to back up the claims.
The AP has operated from the building for 15 years, including through three previous wars between Israel and Hamas. During those conflicts as well as the current one, the news agency’s cameras from its top floor office and roof terrace offered 24-hour live shots as militants’ rockets arched toward Israel and Israeli airstrikes hammered the city and its surroundings.
“We have had no indication Hamas was in the building or active in the building,” AP President and CEO Gary Pruitt said in a statement. “This is something we actively check to the best of our ability. We would never knowingly put our journalists at risk.”
In the afternoon, the military called the building’s owner and warned a strike would come within an hour. AP staffers and other occupants evacuated safely. Soon after, three missiles hit the building and destroyed it, bringing it crashing down in a giant cloud of dust.
After.
HT: Vanderleun.
Jerryskids
About all you need to know about the AP/Hamas connection is to note that the AP hasn’t been the target of Hamas attacks when it would be so easy for them to be targeted what with them sitting right there in the middle of the terrorists. So you have to ask yourself, why does Hamas leave the AP alone? The only answer I can think of is that either they fear the AP more than they fear the armed forces of Israel – or they don’t fear the AP at all.
A. Squaretail
I’ve read other reports of AP staffer’s blogs during previous bouts of violence reporting that rockets were being fired from the building. So much for AP’s truthfulness and integrity. Anyone who places any faith in an AP story is a fool.
Seattle Sam
Hamas seems to be getting exactly what they wanted out of this — dead bodies that they can use for fund-raising and to feed American Anti-Semites like The Squad. I don’t think they’re the least bit troubled.
Boligat
The Israelies should annex a portion of the Gaza Strip and then kick all the Palestinians out. Then, every time Hamas does anything “un-neighborly”, annex more. Since Hamas is in capable of behaving, it won’t be long until Israel has annexed all of Gaza and, Voila!, there won’t be anymore rockets being fired at Israel from Gaza.
Then start doing the same in the rest of the Palestinian occupied territory.
pfdr
Great picture, love the next bomb just before hitting the target.
Mike-SMO
That structure may have been the support for all the telephone, internet porn and propaganda broadcasts. The microwavedishes are “old school”, easy to evesdrop but tough to block. The IDF did block those signals with a lot of concrete rubble.
I was impressed at how neatly the IDF dropped the Hotel d’Hamas into an almost empty area instead of onto the adjacent apartment blocks and office buildings. Show Off!
The “Democratic media” was all inh a fluff about the “flattened apartment building”. The longer video and the alternate still show the building for what it was. I wonder what burns with that brown smoke? No fireball for motorfuel or generator juice.
Does the IDF do “contract work”?
Mike-SMO
I am surprised that Israel went with the cease-fire; they were having too much fun.
Since the defensive missiles seemed to work well, the IDF didn’t have to play “Wack-A-Mole” with the launchers. They were free to run down their list of Hamas facilities. The “attacks” on Gaza streets were curious, but a way to target Hamas tunnels at locations not shielded by a residence. Plus it gets at power, and communications cables, water systems and sewers. Until New Years, if lights are on and the toilet flushes, they are Hamas. It might focus peoples’ discontent.
McChuck
Fallujah, Iraq, 2004.
AP and Al Jazeera shared office space and reporters. They were also located in the terrorist headquarters building. (Duh. You go where the newsmakers are. So they can tell you where and when to film the next attack.)
This building was the first thing targeted in the November offensive that retook the city.
Mike-SMO
McChuck, “Meanie!” (giggle).
No commander with a brain would send troops in to clear tunnels, basements, rooms, etc. The IDF considered the problem and targeted the tunnel “destinations”. The destinations were facilities with bunkers or shelters for the field operatives. I am sure that the “Big Dogs” were in plush hotels in Qatar or Iran, where they could safely transmit messages with heroic themes. Sic Semper and all that.
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