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US tells Israel to protect media after Gaza tower hit

WION Web Team
New DelhiUpdated: May 15, 2021, 10:53 PM IST
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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki (file photo). Photograph:(Reuters)

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On Saturday, Israel carried out airstrike in Gaza that brought down a tower housing media offices of Al-Jazeera and The Associated Press

The US asked Israel to ensure safety of journalists on Saturday just hours after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza flattened a building that housed offices of Al-Jazeera and The Associated Press.

The United States told Israel "that ensuring the safety and security of journalists and independent media is a paramount responsibility," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

The AP and Al Jazeera strongly condemned the attack.

The death toll from latest Israel-Palestine conflict is rising but diplomatic efforts have so far failed to calm the tensions.

Palestinians say at least 139 people, including 39 children, have been killed in Gaza since the conflict erupted on Monday.

Israel has reported 10 dead, including two children.

Before the airstrike on mediahouses, Israel gave advance warning of so it could be evacuated and said later the building contained military assets of Hamas, the Islamist group that runs Gaza.

In Tel Aviv, residents fled for cover amid wailing sirens as Hamas militants fired barrages of rockets. One hit a residential block in the Ramat Gan suburb, killing a 50-year old man, medics said.

The group said the salvos responded to overnight strikes on Gaza`s Beach refugee camp, where a woman and four of her children were killed when her house was hit. Five others died, medics said. Israel said it targeted an apartment used by Hamas.

Hamas began its assault on Monday after tensions over a court case to evict several Palestinian families in East Jerusalem and in retaliation for Israeli police clashes with Palestinians near the city`s al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam`s third holiest site.

(With inputs from agencies)