Israel Attacks Gaza Journalists, Hits Reuters Office

www.foxnews.com...

An explosion Thursday rocked a media tower housing various journalists in Gaza. The missile hit the offices of the production company FOX News uses in the Gaza Strip.

Two engineers working for the production company inside the Al-Shurouq Tower in the city center have been injured. There are other media production companies in the building and reports suggest others have been injured as well.

An Israeli missile or shell appeared to have struck the southern side of the 13th floor of the building, Reuters reported.

Reuters, who also has offices in the building, spoke with Israeli forces moments before the attack and were assured the building was not a target, but were hit by the missile minutes later.

A live camera feed showed smoke pouring from the upper floors of the 16-story building.

Don't know if this has been posted, but a search for Ramattan and for the exact story title turned up nothing here.

Major edit:

The below poster is correct. Edited title and my posts to correct for another stupid mistake. Their logo appeared to me as the sign on top of the building. Man, I am screwing up too much here lately. I need to take a break.

But more on topic, Israel targeting the building knowing and just having confirmed their location, knowing Reuters was in there? Is that really any better news? It still sucks.

[edit on Sun Jan 18th 2009 by TrueAmerican]

I recall seeing this posted elsewhere, but like you I am unable to locate the relevant threads.



Jesus Christ, either they are entirely inept at aiming or they are deliberately doing this as a slap to the face of the collective international community. The "it was a mistake" line has been used one too many times in this conflict.

reply to post by paperplanes


Well maybe it wasn't Israel who attacked the building? OR, the Israeli they spoke to knew exactly very well they were going to attack it, lied, and wanted to be sure they got the message across. One thing's for sure, them Israelis ain't playing. Anyone hear that the US shipment of arms was denied by Greece? Yup, so their shipment was stalled. Maybe Israel didn't like that too much. BANG. Simple.

I have no idea what is going on.... but, flagged.

I guess this could be why Ramattan video is no longer available. Somehow, we knew that the feed would be killed, one way or another. How sad.

Much respect to the journalists that allowed us to look into their webcams for an understanding to what was happening there.

Ramattan isn't down... just the server providing the feed keeps moving.

Also this is all wrong. Ramattan was NOT hit...


The FOX article clearly states it was the Al-Shurouq Tower in the city center that was hit. The Ramattan website clearly states that it is located on the 9th Floor, Shawa & Husari Building, Al Wahda Street.

Originally posted by canadarab
Ramattan isn't down... just the server providing the feed keeps moving.

Also this is all wrong. Ramattan was NOT hit...


The FOX article clearly states it was the Al-Shurouq Tower in the city center that was hit. The Ramattan website clearly states that it is located on the 9th Floor, Shawa & Husari Building, Al Wahda Street.

Yep, I agree. See above edit. And thanks for pointing out the obvious. I had some crazy delusion it was the building and office we talked about in the other thread. Nope. Wasn't. I done seen the light.

Also will add some info from Reuters own story on it:

www.alertnet.org...

Israeli army spokesmen, who had been in touch with Reuters shortly before the blast to confirm the location of the bureau in Gaza, said they were looking into what had happened. Ten hours later, the army had still to offer an explanation.

The international news agency has also raised concerns with the Israeli government and military over statements by troops in the field this week that they were targeting anyone in the Gaza Strip who appeared to be "observing" their movements -- comments that seem to imply great risk to journalists.

Following the killing by an Israeli tank in the Gaza Strip last year of a Reuters cameraman, Fadel Shana, the agency has continued to urge the Israeli army to ensure that its troops are trained and properly instructed to avoid firing on journalists.

Israeli government spokesmen, defending a 3-week offensive that they say aims to end rocket fire at Israel, have criticised much media coverage from the Gaza Strip and some have said Hamas controls the output of journalists in the territory.

So I guess it's film in Gaza and die?

[edit on Sun Jan 18th 2009 by TrueAmerican]

Just as they cut off microphones in press conferences, this was a warning to the media that they are a target unless they support Israel.

This has been said by Israel several times before.

Like Bush and his "if you're not with us, you're against us".

Israel is angry that they are still not able to control all the media to the point where they are viewed as righteous and Gaza evil all over the world. I really do believe that they thought through their control of media and their propaganda machine, they'd be viewed internationally as perfectly right to do what they are doing.

They allowed a cameraman in with troops to show they are acting responsibly, and it was immediately recognized as propaganda by the international community, so they gave up on it. The BBC and several others tried to use it, for about a day, before basically stating that it was Israeli propaganda.

They made a mistake, and now their only option, if they can't control the media and therefore international opinion, is to bully the media into either shutting up or supporting Israel.

Everything Israel has done in this "war" (read: atrocity) is offensive and sickening.

Yes, Hamas is stupid, violent, ridiculous to the point of insanity.

But Israel is absolutely no better, the evidence shows that they are in fact worse.

Considering how the press over there is playing for the HAMAS side of things - they could have been aiming at it to send a message - the message being that they aren't playing around and won't tolerate the press helping their enemy.

This is why they say 'war is hell' and it should be avoided.

It's not pretty. It's very messy.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Considering how the press over there is playing for the HAMAS side of things...

Well some yeah, but Reuters too?

Or was that pilot so fricken good he knew exactly where to put that missile, knew its likely damage, and furthermore could have fired more than one most likely but didn't knowing Reuters was in there?

Knowing they could have leveled the place this had to be a warning shot, although it sure sounds like that pilot wanted those two cameramen, at least- dead. Almost got em.

Am I the only one who tries to get ALL sides of the story before making my opinion? I mean common how many assumptions can you guys make. And doesn't anyone here know what fog of war means? This is getting to the point where people sacrifice the truth to support their biased opinions.


I for one will wait until more sides come out before I pass judgment. Thank you.

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
was that pilot so fricken good he knew exactly where to put that missile,

I'm sure he was VERY good.

But what I'm saying is this - if the press starts giving away information that Israel doesn't want out - like troop movements and numbers, etc ... then the press is putting itself in the war and it could be seen as a liability for one side or the other.

If Israel has a choice of taking out Reuters which is (hypothetically) giving away information - or leaving it intact - I'm sure Israel, who isn't playing games this time, will nail the office in order to further their defensive efforts and in order to save the lives of Israeli soldiers.

If I was running things and I found out the international press was a liability for my troops, I'd get them to leave. If they didn't leave, I'd blast the hell out of their office. In war my troops would come first.

Originally posted by Founding
And doesn't anyone here know what fog of war means?

Yeah sure, I get your point. And I'd almost agree except for one slight little problem: the fact that Israel has been invading, bombing, and at war in some form or fashion in Gaza for HOW MANY YEARS NOW? Like Israel doesn't know every single building, especially anything that size rather intimately by now?

Oh, ic, was a young inexperienced pilot who made a mistake. Yeah, ok.

Mistake too in bombing the UN building? Uh huh.

Who you think you are fooling? There is no real war. This is so lopsided it's silly. War? Bah. Massacre.

edit: and FF, great point. So where was the part where Israel told them to get out first before they fired? Or was the media included too in the early warning to leave Gaza?

[edit on Sun Jan 18th 2009 by TrueAmerican]

Ramattan was NOT hit I repeat .. NOT..

why do people talk as if it was?


It was another agency hit, not Ramattan.

[edit on 18-1-2009 by canadarab]

reply to post by TrueAmerican


Know every building intimately.... do you have any military or strategic experience? The Israelis have not been in Gaza since 94. Do the math. Also, if knew anything about warfare you would know that the rules change when fighting those that use guerrilla warfare.

As for Gaza being a massacre, out of a population of 1.5 million only 1,200 people have been killed and 700 of those are Hamas. Why don't you support a real massacre like Darfur, Tibet, and Haiti.

Originally posted by Founding
Know every building intimately....

Yeah intimately. Intimately enough that Israeli intelligence has quite detailed satellite maps of every square inch of Gaza, grid coordinate locked to GPS. Targets pre mapped and fed into targeting systems. That's pretty intimate. Of course, intimacy is all the rage these days seeing as no square inch of planet earth is untouchable to an angry missile.

do you have any military or strategic experience?

Military no, but strategic- we all have that whether we want it or not because it is forced upon us. Most people seem to forget that they themselves are the "strategic" affected in all this war planning that goes on for apocalyptic scenarios.

And besides, I don't really think I needed much direct military experience to make the point above deflecting your attempt to diminish the considerably powerful and capable IDF/IAF's true knowledge of the terrain and infrastructure in Gaza. And your own fact(?) that Israel has killed 700 Hamas would tend to support that and the true "intimacy" with the area they really have. Gotta know where they are to kill em.

But you're right in the sense that in massacre terms it seems small compared to other conflicts. Like Iraq for example. The US military knows a thing or two about massacres.

That still don't make it right from a humanistic, compassionate standpoint. A lot of people are dying everywhere man and it sucks.

[edit on Sun Jan 18th 2009 by TrueAmerican]

reply to post by TrueAmerican


Good point (the only good point) that I forgot Iraq. I just find it hypocritical when people finally decide to take a stand when Israel is involved. I mean common there are so many worse conflicts going on in the world BEFORE Israel invaded Gaza. I hope to see the same people protesting Israel in an anti-china rally. I swear I would give my left leg if people even knew who the Dalits are and the atrocities committed against them.

You obviously dismissed my point of guerrilla warfare, especially the type used by Hamas. It changes the rules and the landscape completely. Military intelligence (an oxymoron) can only pinpoint so much. And when you have a civilian based militia there is really no telling who or what is against you.

Originally posted by Founding
I just find it hypocritical when people finally decide to take a stand when Israel is involved. I mean common there are so many worse conflicts going on in the world BEFORE Israel invaded Gaza. I hope to see the same people protesting Israel in an anti-china rally.

Interesting. That implies that we ought to have our noses in everyone's business and be settling disputes all over the world with nuclear weapons as our empowerment. Just because we have, doesn't mean we have to, or should continue doing it. I see the philosophy, unfortunately I just don't subscribe to it. History just keeps repeating itself. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, no matter where you are.

I swear I would give my left leg if people even knew who the Dalits are and the atrocities committed against them.

Funny, I'd probably give mine too if people even knew who Americans really are and the atrocities committed against them everyday by abusive authority and corruption of the highest order and influence. Selling a senate seat? That's America? Rodney King? That's America? Operation Northwoods?

Not the America that could have been without that kind of abuse of power going on in our faces with a finger attached. Supposedly we put these people in power to make the right decisions for us, not just for them.

You obviously dismissed my point of guerrilla warfare, especially the type used by Hamas. It changes the rules and the landscape completely. Military intelligence (an oxymoron) can only pinpoint so much. And when you have a civilian based militia there is really no telling who or what is against you.

It might change the rules, but it doesn't change the GPS coordinates (landscape) much unless a new structure is built. Yep, lotsa building they are doing in Gaza right about now. These people are going to starve to death.

And despite this still Israel has killed all these Hamas soldiers. Lucky shots I suppose with no intelligence? I just don't see how that does not register with you. I am arguing that they are too good a fighting force to be making many mistakes in these types of plane missile attacks. Waltz in, unopposed, bomb, yawn, get some more and do it again. Plenty of time, yawn again.

Truth is, someone said "I want one x-type missile in that building 14th floor or w/e, more horizontal approach, from this side, and right there. "Yes, sir. Will transmit coordinates to target, with special instructions."

And unopposed in the air, or from the ground, that's too easily done as seen so many times everywhere on youtube, etc. Mistakes? You are going to need a new supply of snake oil, last batch didn't work.

[edit on Sun Jan 18th 2009 by TrueAmerican]

reply to post by TrueAmerican


I'm sorry that was 90% ideology and 10% repeating the same old story. Read my words without any added context of your own. If you take what I said for face value, not with your biased opinion, then you would have understand I was addressing the hypocrisy of people supporting the so-called Palestinians.

I don't know where you pulled that America can't police the world stuff....

And as for your opinion on the Israeli fighting force, why don't you join up and then come back with some real information. Because mistakes happen in war and they always will. Any one with a lick of military experience will tell you that, and for you to deny that is sheer ignorance.

reply to post by Founding


I gave you pretty good SPECIFIC reasons why I seriously doubt this missile attack on this building was a mistake. In war there are mistakes. But this ain't no war. Not in the air at least. If this was in the middle of WW2 or something it might be different.

reply to post by TrueAmerican


You gave me your lax opinion on the impossibility of something going wrong during combat. And since you do not know squat about warfare it doesn't mean much. So, why don't you come back with statistics that show it is impossible to make a mistake. Then we will talk.