GAZA, (PIC)
In the skies over Gaza, where hope hangs between bombardment and resilience, the “AH-64 Apache” helicopter stands as a symbol of terror and destruction.
Since the beginning of the Israeli assault on the Strip, this aircraft has become a primary tool for taking lives and destroying infrastructure, using its deadly missiles against civilians, homes, and even ambulances.
The beast of the sky: Israel’s deadly weapon
The Apache helicopter is one of the most advanced attack aircraft in Israel’s military arsenal. It is equipped with precision targeting systems and devastating Hellfire missiles, capable of striking targets with extreme accuracy. With its speed and maneuverability, the Apache is frequently used to carry out assassinations against Palestinian resistance fighters, as well as to bomb residential areas and civilian vehicles on Gaza’s narrow streets.
Executing assassinations
Mahmoud Al-Khatib, a resident of the Shuja’iyya neighborhood, recalls the terrifying moment when an Apache targeted a civilian vehicle right outside his home.
“We were sitting inside when we heard the helicopter,” he says. “We couldn’t see it, but we felt the presence of death. Suddenly, the car in front of us exploded, scattering debris everywhere. There was no warning—just a single missile that ended the lives of everyone inside in an instant.”
Journalist Ahmed Mansour, who has covered multiple Israeli assaults on Gaza, confirms that the Apache is often used to carry out assassinations in broad daylight, with no regard for civilians nearby.
“The occupation uses this aircraft as a tool of terror,” he explains. “It doesn’t just strike a specific target; it fires multiple missiles to ensure everything in the attack zone is obliterated—without distinguishing between combatants and civilians.”
Aerial killings without accountability
Since the outbreak of the Second Intifada in 2000, Israel has used Apache helicopters to carry out assassinations targeting Palestinian resistance leaders, including Salah Shehadeh and Ahmed Yassin.
Today, these helicopters continue their open war against Gaza, flying freely in the skies and taking lives without facing any international accountability.
Military analyst Wasif Erekat notes that Israel relies on the Apache for so-called “surgical strikes,” but in reality, these attacks often result in civilian casualties, especially in densely populated areas.
“The Israeli army claims these attacks target armed individuals,” he tells our reporter, “but the truth is that most of the victims are innocent civilians, including women and children.”
It is not just individuals being targeted—entire families have been wiped out by Apache strikes.
Apache: A symbol of aerial terror
As the people of Gaza struggle to survive under siege and destruction, the Apache remains a constant nightmare in their skies. Its mere sound is enough to instill fear in the hearts of children and adults alike.
With no international action to stop these crimes, Gaza remains alone in the face of a war machine that makes no distinction between a fighter and a child, between a home and an ambulance.
In Gaza, where there are no shelters and no prior warnings, the sound of an Apache is an announcement of death from above.
