A used by building international media outlets was struck by Israeli rockets. Photo:Reuters
The World Daily | News Desk MAY 16th 2021
The Israeli military said it had attacked one of the leaders of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is "outraged by the rising number of civilian casualties and deeply concerned about the Israeli attack on the building that housed the international media outlets in Gaza," a UN spokesman said.
According to information provided by Israel, the house of Khalil al-Haeyh, a political bureau member and one of Hamas' top activists, was "part of the group's terrorist infrastructure".
Earlier, the Israeli military said it had raided two multi-story blocks in central Gaza, including one that housed the editorial offices of foreign media, the AP agency and Al-Jazeera.
As reported by the chancellery of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the head of government spoke to US President Joe Biden on the subject, assuring him that the military was doing everything possible to avoid civilian casualties, alerting them and ordering the evacuation of the blocks destroyed in the air raids.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked the president for the United States' support for our right to self-defence," the press release said. Earlier, a White House spokeswoman said the US told Israel that journalists' safety was paramount.
As reported by the Israeli military, Hamas military intelligence also operated in the building that housed the media offices, so the bloc was a legitimate target for military action.
Outrage over the attack was expressed by the head of PA Gary Pruitt and the leadership of Al-Jazeera.
"UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is outraged by the rising number of civilian casualties and deeply concerned about the Israeli attack on the building that housed international media outlets in Gaza," UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said on Saturday in a written reply to press inquiries.
