An Israeli air strike destroyed a high-rise building in Gaza City that housed offices of The Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye and other media outlets on Saturday, the latest step by the military to silence reporting from the territory amid its battle with Hamas.

Jawad Mehdi, the owner of the Jala Tower, said an Israeli intelligence officer warned him he had just one hour to ensure the evacuation of the building.

In a phone call with the officer, AFP heard him beg for an extra 10 minutes to allow journalists to retrieve their equipment before leaving.

“Give us ten extra minutes,” he urged, but the officer on the other end of the line refused.

Wael al-Dahdouh, Al Jazeera’s bureau chief in Gaza told AFP: “It’s terrible, very sad, to target the Al Jazeera and other press bureaus.”

Video footage broadcast by Al Jazeera showed the moment the 13-storey building collapsed after the strike as plumes of dark smoke rose in the sky.

“The tower has come down,” the anchorwoman said in the video. “Whenever you see journalists doing live updates from Gaza, they’re usually standing on the roof of that building which has now been flattened by an air strike by the Israeli military,” she added.

“This channel will not be silenced. Al Jazeera will not be silenced,” the on-air anchorwoman said, her voice thick with emotion. “We can guarantee you that right now.”

In a statement, Israel alleged its “fighter jets attacked a high-rise building which hosted military assets belonging to the military intelligence of the Hamas terror organisation”.

The building also contained a number of apartments and other offices.

Strike at refugee camp

The strike came hours after another Israeli air raid on a densely populated refugee camp in Gaza City killed at least 10 Palestinians from an extended family, mostly children, in the deadliest single strike of the current violence.

Mohammed Hadidi told reporters his wife and five children had gone to celebrate the Eidul Fitr holiday with relatives. She and three of the children, aged six to 14, were killed, while an 11-year-old is missing. Only his five-month-old son Omar is known to have survived.

Children’s toys and a Monopoly board game could be seen among the rubble, as well as plates of uneaten food from the holiday gathering.

In pictures: Death and misery for Palestinians as Israel pounds Gaza with air strikes

“There was no warning,” said Jamal Al-Naji, a neighbour living in the same building. “You filmed people eating and then you bombed them?” he said, addressing Israel. “Why are you confronting us? Go and confront the strong people!”

Israeli planes renewed air strikes in Gaza early on Saturday and Hamas fighters responded by firing rockets into Israel as the fighting entered a fifth night and US and Arab diplomats sought an end to the violence.

At least 132 people have been killed in Gaza since Monday, including 32 children and 21 women, and 950 others wounded, Palestinian medical officials said.

Among the eight dead in Israel were a soldier patrolling the Gaza border and six civilians, including two children, Israeli authorities said.

Israel launched day-long attacks on Friday to destroy what it claimed were several kilometres of tunnels, launch sites and weapons manufacturing warehouses used by Hamas’ fighters in an effort to halt the rocket attacks.

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia and Indonesia on Saturday called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene and stop Israel’s strikes on Gaza, as the conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants raged on.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that in a phone conversation with Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, both leaders agreed that Israel’s “despicable actions” must be stopped immediately.

“We were of similar views that the international community, especially the United Nations Security Council, should act swiftly to cease all forms of violence committed by Israel, and save the lives of Palestinians,” Muhyiddin said in a televised address.

“To date, the U.N. Security Council has not issued any statement on the current situation in Palestine due to opposition from the United States of America,” he said.

Malaysia has long been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, pushing for a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders.

The Security Council will publicly discuss the worsening violence on Sunday, diplomats said this week. The 15-member council has met privately this week about the worst hostilities in the region in years, but has so far been unable to agree on a public statement, diplomats said.

Israel pummelled Gaza with air strikes and Palestinian militants launched rocket barrages at Israel on Saturday.

At least 136 people, including 34 children and 21 women, have been killed in Gaza since fighting broke out on Monday, according to Palestinian medical officials.

Israel has reported eight dead, including a soldier on the Gaza border and six civilians, two of them children.

In the occupied West Bank, Palestinians have reported 11 killed after protesters and Israeli forces clashed.

ISLAMABAD, MAY 15 (DNA) – Speaking at the re-launching of social and cultural network ‘Friends of China’ on Saturday, the experts urged the governments of Pakistan and China to work on the establishment of mechanisms for cultural promotion and social integration. The cultural experts and practitioners shall lead the collaboration backed and facilitated by the governments.

They said both countries are ‘iron friends’ for the last seven decades but the culture of both countries is less known to the people on both sides. Cultural performances and arts showcasing shall replace fusion of recreation of culture, learning and understanding each other based on the cultural heritage. The pandemic time shall be used for planning and development of the mechanisms to boost cultural ties and social integration based on the learning.   

The Friends of China is an initiative of Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) initially launched in 2011 on the national of China under the chairmanship of former senator and ambassador late Muhammad Akram Zaki. Guest speakers on the virtual re-launching of Friends of China included founder Ajoka Theatre and former managing director PTV Shahid Mahmood Nadeem (Lahore), cultural activist and founder Tahreek e Niswan Cultural Group Sheema Kermani (Karachi), CEO Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade (KPBIOT) Hassan Daud Butt (Peshawar), geopolitical commentator and filmmaker Reham Khan (London), journalist and broadcaster Zoon Ahmad Khan (Beijing), Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed, a faculty from Bahria University Sumra Khalid, artist and Art & Design Cambridge teacher Riffar Ara Baig, Lion Saqib Rahim and Lions Club District Governor-Elect 305N2 (MJF) Dr Masood Ghani. 

Shahid Mahmood Nadeem said very little is done to explore the cultural ties based on in-depth learning of civilizations and heritage of both countries. Only cultural performances won’t work in the contemporary work where market mechanisms have made the culture backbone of bilateral political and economic collaborations.

He suggested a hierarchy under the CPEC comprising experts from the private sector with sector-wise sub-committees for each discipline of arts and culture. He suggested that Devcom and Friends of China can play a networking role in the establishment of mechanisms required to boost bilateral cultural collaborations.

Sheema Kermani said culture brings people together, so it is necessary to have elaborate mechanisms for cultural collaboration backed and supported by both governments. It should be based on equal terms. Our culture should not be compromised against the rich Chinese culture. Joint cultural products should be the focus instead of only cultural performance. There are many fields of arts and culture where Pakistani youth and practicing artists can learn from. They include puppetry, animation films, cinematography, theatre and film, dance and musical production.

She also questioned the cultural priorities within the Pakistan government that talks a lot about tourism, culture and heritage. Cultural and tourism policies are dusting the shelves.

Hassan Daud Butt highlighted the friendship between the two countries that has a history of understanding each other at equal level. Leadership at all levels and from both countries have contributed towards fostering Pak-China relationship considering it a responsibility. The strategic relationship is transforming into economic partnership at the moment where people-to-people contact and cultural interaction are key pillars of BRI and CPEC.

He said tourism and culture were discussed time again at the BRI forums and Pakistan has many features to showcase. The officials in embassies are willing to contribute however cultural troupe and theater shows need to be developed around silk route history and importance of the region with central focus on Pakistan. The language is an important aspect and Pakistan Study Centers in China that need to be strengthened to support interaction.

Reham Khan said Pakistan and China share a rich heritage and history along the Silk Road. I grew up fascinated by this scenic and exotic route. With my family roots on this historic route, I found an overlap of culture andtradition. The CPEC provides a golden opportunity to filmmakers like myself to explore a treasure trove of cultural experiences but also to promote the soft power of both China and Pakistan. China can invest in Pakistani youth who have creative talent but lack basic infrastructure and financial support in film-making, dance and music production or Art.

Zoon Ahmad Khan said packaging cultural products matters for China. There is a huge market waiting for quality arts and culture from Pakistan. Many Chinese companies and organizations would be more than happy to welcome Pakistani films, art, animations and music ventures. Possibilities of collaboration are much more than what could be expected but for innovative and quality products.=DNA

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