An Israeli airstrike on Saturday destroyed an international media building that also houses the Gaza offices of news organizations such as the Associated Press and Al Jazeera, sparking international concern. On Tuesday (May 18), Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. government has received further information about Israel’s destruction of the Gaza high-rise.
“We did seek further information from Israel on this issue,” Blinken said in a joint briefing with Iceland’s foreign minister in Reykjavik.
He said, “It is my understanding that we have received further information through intelligence channels, and I have no comment on that.”
Israel said the fighter jets hit a multi-story building “containing military assets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization’s intelligence bureau.”
AP Executive Editor Sally Buzbee said Sunday (May 16) that they had not seen any evidence from Israeli officials to justify the explosion, adding that the AP wanted an independent investigation into the incident.
Former Israeli Ambassador to Washington Ron Dermer, now an adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told CNN that evidence has been provided to Washington.
Dermer said, “The evidence has been provided to U.S. intelligence officials. The building contains Hamas intelligence positions, and it is my understanding that they are engaged in activities that will actually undermine our ability to effectively target and our ability to intercept incoming rockets.”
On Saturday, before bombing the building, Israel demanded through military orders that all personnel inside the building must be evacuated. The IDF said the terrorists Hamas used civilian media reporters as “shields.”
The building, which has 12 floors, contains several apartments and other offices in addition to the offices of various media outlets. Al Jazeera video from the scene shows the building collapsing to the ground after being bombed, sending dust and debris into the air.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the building, in addition to several media offices, was also home to the “intelligence office of a Palestinian terrorist organization. “It was a perfectly legitimate target,” he argued.
Netanyahu said no one was injured in the attack.
The international community is closely following the development of a new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has called on both sides to cease fire.
U.S. President Joe Biden spoke again Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reiterated his support for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, which controls Gaza.
It was Biden’s second phone call to Netanyahu in three days. In a statement released by the White House, he again said Israel has the right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas, while “encouraging Israel to do everything it can to ensure the protection of innocent civilians.”
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