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writing for godot

Israel hit Gaza City apartment building while I was on Facebook with a witness 80 meters away

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Written by Eric Resnick   
Saturday, 23 August 2014 10:26
GAZA CITY -- Two Israeli missiles launched from F-16 fighter jets leveled a 14 story apartment building that housed 96 families in the Tal al-hawa neighborhood at 12:45pm EST, 7:45pm local time August 23.

Witness Muhammad O. Shehada, from approximately 80 meters away, said no warning rounds were fired.

Moments later, Shehada, who was on Facebook with this reporter when it happened, reported that at least 18 were injured and one killed in the blast. Their identities are not yet known.

The building was called Al-Zafer 4 tower, and it was located near Islamic University, and in a cluster of similarly sized apartments. Islamic University was hit by Israeli fire in July.

"It was just hit, with no warning at all," said Shehada.

According to Shehada, there have been a number of things targeted in the area today, including an ice cream factory. This is the second Gaza City ice cream factory destroyed by Israel this month, adding evidence to the belief that Israel is targeting economic infrastructure.

"They want to destroy all our chances to re-build," Shehada said. "There were more than 50 air strikes today on Gaza Strip."

In addition to homes, Israeli bombs also hit and destroyed a supermarket and farm land today.

Shehada said the Al-Zafer 4 tower was about 30 meters from the home of Hamas political leader Mahmoud al Zahar. However, that home was destroyed by Israel during the first week of the operation, making any connection unlikely.

Shehada, 21, lived through earlier Israeli incursions known as Operation Cast Lead in 2008-09 and Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012. So far, the 2014 massacre is the most deadly. He maintained remarkable calm, being close enough to feel the blast.

"'I've been many times closer than that to targeted buildings," Shehada said when asked about it. "Like the time when they targeted the mosque near my house, I was about 20 meters away from it." Shehada had been in that mosque only minutes before it was struck.
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