Gaza Strip: Satellite image analysis shows massive destruction in war-ravaged region

The United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) on Wednesday (Mar 20) released an updated assessment of the Gaza Strip, highlighting the extent of damage inflicted on buildings in the region amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

The recent analysis based on satellite imagery stated that around 35 per cent of Gaza Strip structures have been damaged since the conflict began.

Israel-Hamas War

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The war between Israel and Hamas began when the Islamist group launched an unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to official figures released by Israel.

Israel vowed to eliminate Hamas and launched a massive military offensive in Gaza, which also included ground incursions. Since the war started, Israeli forces have killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

Satellite image assessment

UNOSAT noted that the analysis is based on very high-resolution satellite imagery collected onFebruary 29, 2024. The image revealed a significant increase in destruction compared to previous assessments.

An official release mentioned that UNOSAT compared the image with others dated: May 1 and May 10 in 2023; September 18, 2023; October 15 in 2023; November 7 and 26 in 2023; and January 6 and 7 in 2024.

The report mentioned that 35 per cent ofbuildings in the Gaza Strip have been damaged. The percentage represents 88,868 structures, among which 31,198 of them have been identified as destroyed. A total of 16,908 have been severely damaged, and 40,762 are moderately damaged.

Image source:United Nations Satellite Centre.

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"This represents an increase of nearly 20,000 damaged structures compared to the previous assessment realized in January 2024," the report stated.

As per the UNOSAT report, the governorates of Khan Yunis and Gaza have experienced the "most significant" rise in damage, with Khan Yunis seeing 12,279 additional damaged structures and Gaza experiencing 2,010. In Khan Yunis City, there are 6,663 newly destroyed structures.

"Beyond the number of damaged buildings, this update provides an estimate of 121,400 housing units impacted by the destruction in the Gaza Strip," the UNOSAT report added.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)