Reporter forced to halt interview as explosion goes off live on air
Terrifying footage has shown the moment a journalist was forced to stop his interview after an explosion went off live on air.
BBC journalist, Rushdi Abu Alouf, was reporting from Gaza city and broadcasting to presenter Maryam Moshiri at the time, proceeding to tell her the explosion sounded 'quite close'.
Watch below:
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Rushdi was clearly shaken up by the ordeal, with presenter Moshiri asking him if 'he was okay' or he 'needed to go'.
He seemed unable to come up with an answer before the clip cuts out.
Hamas launched an attack on Israel over the weekend, with Israeli media reporting that at least 700 people were killed during the attack and 100 kidnapped, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say they were at ‘war’ as the country launched a military response.
Meanwhile, Hamas claimed it had taken captive more than 130 people from inside Israel and brought them into Gaza.
Terrifying footage has been emerging from the conflict, including another journalist who screamed and ducked for cover as a large explosion went off just behind her.
Al Jazeera journalist Youmna El Sayed - who was wearing a helmet and safety vest - told viewers yesterday (October 8) that a ‘barrage of rockets’ had been launched into Gaza seconds before a huge fireball erupted behind her, forcing her to scream and duck down.
She then managed to turn around to see the source of the explosion, which is believed to be a residential building.
From inside the studio, the news reporter calmly urged: “Please take cover. If you are in a position to do so safely you can explain to us what is happening. If you are not in a position to do so safely then please get to safety.”
To which she replied: “No it's OK. This is a missile attack on a Palestine tower, right in the middle of Gaza City.”
As Sayed struggled to gain her composure, her studio colleague said: “Take a moment to breathe, you and your team... We are hours into this war between Gaza and Israel.
“We have just witnessed live what an Israeli raid looks like on a populated area of Gaza city - what we believe is a residential building.
“What you're looking at right now is a live shot of Gaza City and Hamas launched an attack in and around the Israeli territory around the Gaza Strip - well, Israel retaliated by bombarding multiple targets in Gaza.”
Yesterday, it was also confirmed that a British citizen was missing 'near Gaza' following a Hamas attack on a music festival.
Twenty-six-year-old Jake Marlowe, from London, has not been heard from since Saturday morning when he was providing security for a music event in the desert near Kibbutz Re’im, close to the Gaza border.
His mother Lisa told the Jewish News: “He was doing security at this rave yesterday and called me at 4.30am to say all these rockets were flying over.
“Then, at about 5.30am, he texted to say ‘signal very bad, everything OK, will keep you updated I promise you’, and that he loves me.”
Topics: World News, BBC
Chloe Rowland