Neighbours Tweet the Terrifying Moment Israeli Forces Destroy a 12-Storey Gaza City Apartment Tower · Global Voices
Elia J. Ayoub

Israel attacked a residential tower in an upscale Gaza neighborhood, injuring around 22 civilians, including 11 children. The 12-storey tower, Al Zafer 4, was completely leveled to the ground in the bombing on Aug. 23.
The Israeli government claimed that the missiles targeted a Hamas operations room in the building, but did not explain why the entire tower had to be destroyed. As The New York Times pointed out, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had targeted apartments within buildings before, but this was the first time that a whole residential tower was demolished.
Israel used its infamous ‘knock on roof’ method. Gaza police said that “a warning missile had been fired five minutes earlier and that some residents were able to rush out of the building in time. Still, 22 people were wounded, including 11 children and five women, according to Gaza hospital officials.” The ‘knock on roof’ method has been condemned by Amnesty International‘s Philip Luther, who said that “there is no way that firing a missile at a civilian home can constitute an effective ‘warning.’”
Maher Abu Sedo, who lives in the area, told the Associated Press: “People started shouting ‘God is Great’, and women and kids were screaming. This is crazy. The state of Israel has resorted to madness. In less than a minute, 44 families have become displaced … They lost everything, their house, their money, their memories and their security.”
Gaza bloggers and Gaza-based journalists immediately took to social media to describe the situation.
Lara Abu Ramadan, who lives in Al Zafer 2 facing Al Zafer 4, tweeted about her experience:
We evacuated our building and all the people in the streets fleeing! #GazaUnderAttack
— Lara (@laraaburamadan) August 23, 2014
And moments later:
They bombed the building beside our's with one drone missile and two F16 !!! #GazaUnderAttack
— Lara (@laraaburamadan) August 23, 2014
Asia Mathkour, daughter of the owner of Al Zafer Residences, was in her home across from Al Zafer 4. After the ‘knock on the roof’ around 30 people of Al Zafer 4 had taken refuge in her home. When the IDF called them to ask if all people had evacuated the building, Mathkour's mother had replied yes. When she asked “which apartment are you targeting so that we know where to hide?”, the IDF officer replied “we are bombing the whole building.” Mathkour spoke to Global Voices Online about her experience here.
Another area resident, Zaid Bakri, tweeted the attack “for the world to know” what happened:
I am tweeting non stop because i want the world to know about what has happened #GazaUnderAttack
— Ziad Bakri (@ZiadBGaza) August 23, 2014
In a series of frantic tweets, he described the chaos and horror he and his family experienced as they were forced to flee their home, near the destroyed tower:
On the news ,zafer 2 and zafer 5 abd noor buildings will be bombed #GazaUnderAttack these building LITERALLY form a circle around my home
— Ziad Bakri (@ZiadBGaza) August 23, 2014
Ziad explained:
My mom fell on the ground , i am tweeting and shaking #GazaUnderAttack
— Ziad Bakri (@ZiadBGaza) August 23, 2014
When the attack happened my mom was on the floor and she remained silent for two complete minutes .. i thought we lost her #GazaUnderAttack
— Ziad Bakri (@ZiadBGaza) August 23, 2014
Most ppl who left zafer 4 building took nothing and some fainted while evacuating #GazaUnderAttack
— Ziad Bakri (@ZiadBGaza) August 23, 2014
Back home today, Ziad described the scene as “disastrous.” He shares this photograph of the destroyed tower, as seen from his balcony:
Picture of the destroyed building from my balcony #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/W9ZGCaUraS
— Ziad Bakri (@ZiadBGaza) August 24, 2014
Dima Eleiwa posted a before and after image of the destruction:
Before and after photos for Al-Zafer 4.! God. This is too much, seriously too much. #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/T2NfJpeZnv
— Dima Eleiwa (@DimaEleiwa) August 23, 2014
Mohamad Suliman spoke of the human cost of this attack.
Thirteen stories have just been razed to the ground. Forty four residential apartments destroyed. Forty four families have been displaced.
— Mohammed Suliman (@imPalestine) August 23, 2014
Gaza-based journalist Dan Cohen tweeted a few images of the devastated areas:
All that remains of 44 homes in Zafer 4. pic.twitter.com/x31I33ntfP
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) August 24, 2014
5 minutes before Zafer 4 was destroyed, Mohammed Shawa helped elderly residents escape certain death. pic.twitter.com/eNOxkGHY94
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) August 24, 2014
Assad's family lost his home so several cousins came to help dig through rubble to recover belongings pic.twitter.com/QIBJForUkL
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) August 24, 2014
Moments before, Israel had hijacked Al Aqsa Television Channel to tell the people of Gaza: “People of Gaza – the war is not yet over. You are warned.”
Translation of Israel's threat to Gazans disseminated via a takeover of al Aqsa television channel pic.twitter.com/ugbZjXKGCU
— Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) August 23, 2014
At the time of writing, the death toll in Gaza stood at 2,110, including 567 children and 75 families. Seventy-two percent of Palestinians killed in this offensive are civilians, according to the UN. The death toll for Israel stood at 68, including one child. The percentage of Israeli civilians killed is 5 percent, with the majority of deaths being IDF soldiers.
Follow our in-depth coverage: #Gaza: Civilian Death Toll Mounts in Israeli Offensive