2021 Notebook: The war in Gaza and the razing of AP’s office

By The Associated Press

An 11-day war between Israel and Gaza’s ruling Hamas militant group in May left over 260 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead. On the sixth day, the Israeli air force bombed a 12-story tower roughly an hour after ordering all occupants to evacuate. No one was injured, but the building was destroyed. The building was home to offices belonging to The Associated Press, the Al-Jazeera satellite channel and dozens of families. Israel said it had evidence Hamas was using the building for military purposes, but never released any evidence publicly to back the claim. AP’s correspondent in Gaza says he and other staffers had been staying in the building, thinking it was the safest place to be during the war.