Photos show an Israeli strike blowing up a Gaza building in split-second detail

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GAZA CITY (AP) — On a rare day off from covering the war in Gaza, Associated Press photographer Jehad Alshrafi made sure to take his camera before heading out.

So when the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of people living near a Gaza City intersection Friday afternoon and warned of an impending airstrike, Alshrafi was ready.

His photos capture the staggering impact of an Israeli bomb in split-second detail.

In a post on social media, an Israeli military spokesman identified the target as a building used by Hamas militants. Warned to keep back at least 300 meters (about 980 feet), Alshrafi headed for a cemetery with a view of the site.

“I saw the evacuation order on the internet and went directly to the place,” Alshrafi said.

It’s common for people in Gaza to visit cemeteries on Friday to pay respect to lost family members. With space between the headstones busy with mourners, Alshrafi set up at the far end of the cemetery, “because I know that sometimes the explosions are very strong, so we need to always stay vigilant.”

His images reinforce that very real danger. In the first, an Israeli bomb is frozen in midair, just a few feet from striking its target, as cemetery visitors turn to flee.

In the frames that follow, an immense plume of flames and smoke erupts from the structure. Debris sprays skyward. The building staggers before collapsing on itself.

The experience of bearing witness and the images it produced are searing. “The explosion was loud and strong beyond imagination,” Alshrafi said. “It was incredibly violent.”

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.