From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 5, 2024
Video shows IDF commander reciting Shema prayer before blowing up Gaza building he says is mosque
A video posted to social media shows an IDF commander in the Gaza Strip reciting the Shema prayer before detonating a series of buildings and claiming one of them is a mosque.
“This is the commander,” the officer says over a radio. “We were able to recite ‘Shema Yisrael’ in the mosque and now we will destroy the mosque with a reading of ‘Shema Yisrael,'” he says.
He then recites the iconic prayer and a row of buildings can be seen exploding in the background as he finishes.
It was not immediately clear where or when the incident took place and there is no immediate comment from the IDF.
The military has been criticized for demolishing several mosques and other public buildings in Gaza, including universities and court buildings. The IDF has defended the actions, saying they were being used as terror infrastructure.
חיילים משמידים מסגד בעזה בקריאת שמע ישראל pic.twitter.com/9AMTYxvG9j
— דביר עמר (@dviramar2) February 5, 2024
