New Delhi (NVI): In its campaign to target Hamas group, the Israeli Air Force today carried out air strikes and reduced to ashes a high-rise building in Gaza, which housed several media offices, including that of The Associated Press (AP) and Al Jazeera.
The Israeli Air Force said it targeted the 12-storey building in the Gaza city because it had military assets of Hamas terror organisation and that advance evacuation notice was given before the air strike.
Three missiles launched by the fighter planes reportedly landed on the building, bringing down the entire structure and raising a huge cloud of dust. Several casualties
“A short while ago, IAF (Israeli Air Force) fighter jets struck a multi-story building which contained military assets belonging to the intelligence offices of the Hamas terror organization,” the force tweeted.
“The building contained civilian media offices, which the Hamas terror organization hides behind and uses as human shields. The Hamas terror organization deliberately places military targets at the heart of densely populated civilian areas in the Gaza Strip,” it said.
“Prior to the strike, the IAF provided advance warning to civilians in the building and allowed sufficient time for them to evacuate the site,” the force said in another tweet.
According to various reports, the owner of the building was told one hour in advance by the Israeli Defence forces that the premises should be vacated by all residents as it would be targeted.
Israeli defence forces have been carrying out air strikes at suspected Hamas locations in Gaza in retaliation to rocket attacks from Gaza on various Israeli cities.
