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This investigation, conducted by Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, is part of the Gaza Project, a collaboration involving 50 journalists from 13 organizations coordinated by Forbidden Stories
The clock had not yet struck midnight on October 9, when Said Al-Taweel fell into a deep sleep in his office in al-Ghefari Tower, Gaza City’s tallest building. Alaa Abu Mohsen, Al-Taweel’s colleague, heard him snoring.
The Israeli assault has led to the deaths of 1 in every 10 journalists in the Gaza Strip, as reported by The Intercept.
Said Al-Taweel’s life changed drastically in recent days due to the ongoing violence. The normalcy that had settled in Rafah, where he lived, was disrupted by the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip. Three days before the airstrike in Gaza City, Al-Taweel had shared knafeh, a traditional Palestinian pastry, with his relatives, a gesture that seemed like a goodbye in hindsight.
The morning of the airstrike, Al-Taweel and his wife woke up to the sound of explosions. Al-Taweel expected retaliation from Israel and asked his wife to prepare to flee if necessary. He headed to Gaza City for work, promising to return the next day.
Al-Taweel was among the journalists at al-Ghefari Tower in Gaza, covering the war. The Israeli military issued a warning about Haji Tower, where Al-Taweel was headed, leading to his evacuation. He informed his colleagues, including journalists from the Khabar Agency, so they could cover the bombing. They made their way towards Haji Tower that night accompanied by Samer al Za’aneen, another journalist from al-Ghefari Tower, who believed that an attack on a major news agency like AFP would be a significant story.
In the early hours of the morning, Sobh and Nwajha snapped a selfie in the elevator of al-Ghefari Tower with Sobh’s equipment between them.
Sobh had been staying at the Khabar Agency’s office in al-Ghefari Tower since October 7, returning home briefly on October 9 to see his family. His wife, Hanadi Qarmout, was worried about his safety on the night of the bombing but he reassured her that he would stay in the office to take photos.
Nwajha’s wife, Siham Nadal, pleaded with him not to leave Rafah for Gaza City due to their young twins. Despite her concerns, he was determined to cover the events at Haji Tower.
On the night of the bombing of Babel, Nwajha called Nadal to tell her he was heading to cover the events at Haji Tower. He sent her a selfie, which would be the last photo she received from him.
It’s uncertain how many warning calls were made by Israel prior to the attack. Eyewitnesses reported that a local resident received a call from an Israeli officer instructing them to evacuate Haji Tower before the bombing.
Multiple witnesses confirmed that the officer mentioned Haji Tower as the target. Manhal Sheheibar, a neighborhood resident, was one of the people who spoke with the officer and expressed confusion about the situation.
Mohammed Abu Safia, a journalist in Haji Tower, also spoke with an Israeli officer who refused to warn people about the impending attack. Abu Safia questioned the officer about which tower they intended to bomb for evacuation. According to Abu Safia, the officer mentioned that Haji Tower was the target for bombing. Abu Safia requested more time to evacuate the building, but the officer initially only gave him five minutes. After negotiation, the officer agreed to give Abu Safia 20 minutes to evacuate.
Late one night, eight journalists were in the Agence France-Presse office in Haji Tower when they received a warning to evacuate. Confused and shocked, they quickly gathered their equipment and left the building. They knew from experience that when the Israeli army warns of a strike, it usually happens soon after.
Despite warnings, some journalists stayed near Haji Tower for a better view of the potential strike. However, when the airstrike occurred at 2:25 a.m., it hit the Babel building instead of Haji Tower. Videos captured the strike and its aftermath, showing casualties and destruction.
Fortunately, the strike was halted after the journalists’ evacuation, as confirmed by the Israeli military spokesperson. Haji Tower remained intact after the incident, with minimal damage. Journalists like Hassouna emphasized the constant danger they face in conflict zones. “Typically, they are aware of their positioning and filming subjects,” he mentioned. However, following the October 10 assault, he expressed, “we found ourselves living in constant fear of our lives.” Please rewrite this sentence.
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