Update: Confirmed
Moments ago, IDF fighter jets struck a 14-story building in southern Gaza, which housed Hamas military intelligence offices & infrastructure used to communicate tactical-military information.
We warned civilians in the building & provided them sufficient time to evacuate. pic.twitter.com/lFT7ntbXzW
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 12, 2021
The building being reported on social media claimed to be 20-stories tall, but the IDF says it was 14-stories. As we speculated in the original story below, the Israeli Defense Force did intend to take down the building, warning anyone in the area ahead of time to the impending attack. This strategy allows lives to be preserved while taking out the important infrastructure, equipment, and oftentimes weapons stored in these buildings.
Original Story:
Dramatic video has been posted on social media and through the Disclose.tv Telegram channel that appears to show two Israeli airstrikes hitting a building, causing two sections to collapse.
Editor’s Note: These videos have not been confirmed or dated. With that said, they do appear to show Israeli airstrikes taking down two sections of a Al-Shorouk Tower, a 20-story commercial building with known occupants that include Hamas media. The terrorist group has been known to use such buildings to store and even fire rockets into Israel.
Information out of Gaza City is sketchy at best with propaganda free flowing to incite international outrage. But as has often been noted, Hamas utilizes “human shields” at every level of their terrorist operation, including the placement of rockets in populated areas. They launch rockets from school yards and hospitals, residential areas and atop local businesses in an effort to force an impossible choice on the Israelis: Accept that rockets will rain down on Israeli civilians or strike civilians in the Gaza Strip who are forced to stay in close proximity to legitimate military targets. We are running this story, not to aid in the propaganda of Hamas or their leftist allies around the world but to get ahead of the false narratives that are certain to spark from this if the videos prove to be authentic.
First, lets look at the two videos supplied by Disclose.tv followed by two videos found on social media:
The 200-foot-high towers appear to be struck twice by Israel airstrikes before both sides collapse. Though some have said it appears to be a “controlled demolition,” closer analysis of the first video clearly shows the shadow of an aircraft crossing over followed shortly after by what appears to be two missile come down on the base foundation of the building.
Standard operating procedure for the IDF is to give ample warning for evacuation before they use major munitions in populated areas. Their goal is to destroy the sources of the attacks and to take down military targets, not to harm civilians. It is almost impossible for their latter goal to be achieved 100% because Hamas often forces civilians, including children, to stay within proximity of potential targets. Hamas WANTS civilian casualties in order to continue to drum up international sympathy and support.
These precision airstrikes were clearly meant to take down the building. It’s not the first time it has been targeted. In November, 2012, the building was targeted and two people were killed.
Picture of targeting Al-shorouq tower which contains the media offices. #Gaza pic.twitter.com/yj083Sn5
— kholoud Diab (@kholoudEllouh) November 19, 2012
We will continue to monitor this and other news coming from the region.
What we are seeing today is the forced escalation by Hamas. They are leaving Israel no choice but to try to defend itself with as few civilian casualties as possible. Hamas, on the other hand wants maximum civilian casualties on both sides.
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