Satellite images show Gaza in ruins three years into Israel’s genocidal war

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that newly updated Google Maps and Google Earth satellite imagery shows extensive destruction across the Gaza Strip nearly three years into Israel’s war there. The images, compared with prewar views, indicate that neighborhoods have been flattened, roads are barely visible in some areas, farmland has been burned, and historic religious sites have been damaged or erased. The reporting focuses on locations from Rafah in the south to North Gaza, showing how the landscape has changed since the conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023.

The article cites assessments from UN agencies and satellite monitors saying the damage has continued even after a ceasefire took effect nearly a year ago. Al Jazeera says UNOSAT found the number of destroyed structures rose by 9 percent after the ceasefire, while UNRWA estimated about 82 percent of Gaza’s structures have been damaged and roughly two-thirds of those destroyed. The story also notes that around 200,000 buildings have been affected.

Examples highlighted include Tal as-Sultan in Rafah, where little remains but sand; al-Mawasi, now crowded with tents and displaced families; the Indonesian Istiqlal Mosque in Khan Younis, which was destroyed; Gaza City’s port, heavily damaged along with much of the fishing fleet; and Jabalia refugee camp, where satellite images show blocks of rubble. Al Jazeera says the human toll has surpassed 74,000 Palestinians killed and more than 175,000 injured, with many still missing under debris.