Gaza Tower Housing AP, Al Jazeera Collapses After Israeli Missile Strike

Hamas threatens to strike Tel Aviv in response to the bombing of the building; IDF confirms strike: ‘offices belonging to media organization that Hamas was using as human shields’

IDF strikes tower housing AP, Al Jazeera offices in Gaza city

An Israeli airstrike destroyed a high-rise building that housed The Associated Press’ offices in the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

The airstrike Saturday came roughly an hour after the Israeli military ordered people to evacuate the building. There was no immediate explanation for why the building was targeted.According to media reports the building houses The Associated Press, Al-Jazeera and a number of offices and apartments. The owner of the building had been warned in advance of an impending Israeli missile strike, a Reuters reporter said, and the building had been evacuated. No injuries were reported.

An AP journalist, who asked not to be named, confirmed that the building had been destroyed and said all their staff were safe but in shock.

Hamas threatened to strike Tel Aviv in response to the bombing of the building. “The residents of Tel Aviv should be prepared for our response,” a spokesperson for Hamas military wing said. 

Meanwhile, in a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said Israeli Air Force warplanes hit a tower in Gaza housing what the army said was “military assets” belonging to Hamas.

The building was host to the offices of the Associated Press, which is based in the U.S., and Al Jazeera, which is owned by Qatar.

According to the Israeli army, the tower had “offices belonging to civilian media organization that Hamas the terror organization was using as human shields.” 

Reuters contributed to this report