New satellite images expose the scale of destruction within the region, after it has sustained over two years of Israeli attacks during the conflict with Hamas.
Planet Labs PBC made the images public on Tuesday, displaying the Palestinian enclave before the conflict erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, and following the start of the war.
Around 192,812 structures in Gaza—approximately 78% of the total—have been damaged or demolished, according to a July report from the United Nations Satellite Center.
In the southern city of Rafah, sites previously occupied by residences, structures, and fields have been transformed into craters and desolate terrains.
In Jabaliya, a city located north of Gaza City, formerly green areas have been reduced to dust and dirt encircling ruined structures.
Beit Hanoun, a city in northeast Gaza, seems to have been leveled. Before the conflict, an estimated tens of thousands of individuals resided there.
Israel’s retaliatory operation has led to the displacement of about 90% of Gaza’s population of roughly 2 million, often repeatedly. Restrictions on humanitarian aid have also contributed to a dire hunger crisis, with experts stating that Gaza City is undergoing famine.
The conflict has so far resulted in the deaths of over 67,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government. The ministry does not specify how many were civilians or combatants, but it indicates that women and children account for approximately half of the fatalities.
The Israel-Hamas war started after Hamas terrorists initiated a surprise assault on southern Israel, storming army bases, farming communities, and an outdoor music festival, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, including women, children, and older adults.
Hamas also abducted 251 other individuals, most of whom have since been freed through ceasefires or other arrangements. Forty-eight hostages continue to be held inside Gaza, with Israel believing around 20 of them are still alive.
Hamas has stated that it will only release them in exchange for a permanent ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.
The Israeli Prime Minister has pledged to persist with the war until all captives are returned and Hamas is eliminated.