Associated Press photographer Jehad Alshrafi captured split-second images of an Israeli airstrike that destroyed a building in Gaza City. The Israeli military said the target was a structure used by Hamas and warned residents to stay at least 300 meters (about 980 feet) away. Alshrafi photographed from the edge of a nearby cemetery as flames, debris and the building's collapse unfolded. He described the blast as “loud and strong beyond imagination.”
Split-Second Photos Capture Israeli Airstrike That Destroyed Gaza Building
A bomb flies in the air as it approaches a building during an Israeli military strike in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
GAZA CITY (AP) — On a rare day off from covering the Gaza conflict, Associated Press photographer Jehad Alshrafi took his camera with him and recorded split-second images of an Israeli airstrike that destroyed a building in Gaza City.
An Israeli military spokesman posted on social media that the target was a building used by Hamas militants. Authorities issued an evacuation warning and advised people to stay at least 300 meters (about 980 feet) away; Alshrafi positioned himself at the far edge of a nearby cemetery that provided a clear view of the site.
It is customary in Gaza for people to visit cemeteries on Fridays to honor relatives. With mourners occupying the narrow paths between headstones, Alshrafi said he deliberately set up at a greater distance to remain safe. “I saw the evacuation order on the internet and went directly to the place,” he said.
The photo sequence documents the strike in harrowing detail: a bomb frozen moments before impact as people turn to flee; an immense plume of flame and smoke erupting from the structure; debris spraying into the sky; and the building lurching and collapsing in on itself.
“The explosion was loud and strong beyond imagination. It was incredibly violent,” Alshrafi said.
These images, curated by AP photo editors, highlight both the destructive power of the strike and the risks faced by civilians and journalists in densely populated conflict zones.
Editor’s note: This gallery contains graphic images of destruction and may be distressing to some readers.
Smoke and flames rise from an Israeli military strike on a building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Smoke and flames rise from an Israeli military strike on a building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Smoke and flames rise from an Israeli military strike on a building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Three men take cover in a graveyard as smoke and flames rise from an Israeli military strike on a building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Smoke rises from an Israeli military strike on a building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A man runs for cover through a graveyard as smoke rises from an Israeli military strike on a building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A man runs for cover in a graveyard as smoke rises from an Israeli military strike on a building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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