Israeli Airstrike Levels 7-Story Building In Gaza

[Purveyor]

AP 3:40 p.m. EDT August 24, 2014

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes leveled a seven-floor office building and severely damaged a two-story shopping center in the Gaza Strip early Sunday, signaling a new escalation in seven weeks of fighting with Hamas.

The strikes in the southern town of Rafah came just hours after Israel bombed a residential tower in Gaza City, collapsing the 12-story building with 44 apartments.

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The targeting of large buildings appears to be part of a new tactic by Israel. Over the weekend, the army began warning Gaza residents in automated phone calls that it would target buildings harboring "terrorist infrastructure" and that they should stay away.

A senior military official confirmed that Israel has a policy of striking at buildings containing Hamas operational centers or those from which military activities are launched. The official said each strike required prior approval from military lawyers and is carried out only after the local population is warned.

more...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/08/24/israel-airstrike-gaza-hamas/14523473/

[snappyturtle]

1. All madness in my book. What is being accomplished? nt

[Recursion]

5. I believe the term is "mowing the grass"

I don't remember if that was Bibi or Sharon, though. The objective is to keep Gaza from developing past a certain level, and it's being met.

[snappyturtle]

7. I think you're right...sad as that is. nt

[JI7]

2. nobody was killed, right ?

was it because of the 5 minute warning or there already weren't any people in there ?

[4now]

3. Its always good to see where our tax dollars are going

Hate to think they are just being wasted.

[PDJane]

4. This is not fighting with Hamas.

It is collective punishment, no more and no less. I might point out that Hamas is not all a bunch of freedom fighters. There is a governing wing, as well.

[4now]

6. A total of eight people were killed in Sunday's airstrikes.

Israel said one of the dead was a Hamas official involved in handling the group's finances.

1 Hamas accountant and 7 dead civilians.