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Burning Al-Jalaa tower in Gaza: collapse after rocket attack
Photo: MOHAMMED SABER / EPA
A skyscraper in the Gaza Strip, which houses the offices of the Associated Press news agency and Al Jazeera TV station, has collapsed.
It had previously been hit by Israeli missiles.
The building also housed a number of apartments and other offices.
The owner had been warned in advance of an imminent Israeli missile attack and the high-rise had been evacuated as a result of the warning.
Al-Jazeera, a news channel funded by the government of Qatar, broadcast the air strikes and the collapse of its own office live.
There was no immediate explanation as to why the building was attacked.
The shelling marks a further escalation of the Middle East conflict between Israel and the ruling Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Since last Monday, Palestinian militants have been firing rockets at Israel.
Israel, for its part, is responding with massive attacks in the coastal area.
At least 139 people have died in the Gaza Strip since then.
The shelling of the media tower came hours after another Israeli air strike on a densely populated refugee camp in Gaza City, in which at least ten members of an extended family, mostly children, were killed.
It was the deadliest attack in the current conflict.
Misleading communications
On Friday there was a clash between several international media and news agencies and the Israeli army. Shortly after midnight, the Israeli military announced that "air and ground forces" were attacking the Gaza Strip. When asked by several journalists, a spokesman confirmed an invasion. Hours later, after several news outlets falsely reported an invasion, the military issued a "clarification." In fact, there had been no ground offensive.
Instead, there was a massive attack on a wide Hamas tunnel system, in which the Israeli air force reportedly used around 500 tons of ammunition.
It is still unclear whether and how many Hamas fighters were killed in the process.
"There are potentially hundreds," said a senior officer.
According to media reports, the news from the military had prompted numerous Hamas fighters to dive into the tunnel system.
After they were so trapped, Israel's air force bombed the network for around 40 minutes.
The army denied targeted manipulation of the foreign media and spoke of a "communication error".
rai / AP / Reuters