According to analysis conducted by the United Nations Satellite Centre, 35% of buildings in the Gaza Strip have been either destroyed or damaged due to the Israeli offensive in the Palestinian territory. The assault was launched in retaliation to attacks by Hamas militants in southern Israel on Oct. 7 and has resulted in the deaths of nearly 32,000 Palestinians, as reported by health authorities in the Hamas-controlled area. Conversely, about 1,200 individuals were killed in the Hamas attack on Israel.
The United Nations Satellite Centre, UNOSAT, utilized high-resolution satellite images gathered on Feb. 29 to assess the situation. By comparing these images with those taken before and after the onset of the recent conflict, UNOSAT determined that 35% of all structures in the Gaza Strip, totaling 88,868 buildings, had been impacted – with 31,198 structures being completely destroyed, 16,908 severely damaged, and 40,762 moderately damaged.
This assessment revealed an increase of approximately 20,000 damaged structures compared to the previous evaluation conducted using images from January, which indicated that 30% of buildings were affected. UNOSAT highlighted that the governorates of Khan Younis and Gaza experienced the most significant escalation in damage, with Khan Younis witnessing an additional 12,279 damaged structures and Gaza facing 2,010. Particularly, Khan Younis City bore a heavy toll, with 6,663 newly destroyed structures.
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