The United Nations has reported that two-thirds of buildings in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed since the outbreak of war in October 2023. In an update released on Monday, the UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) analyzed high-resolution imagery collected on September 3 and 6, revealing significant deterioration in the region.
According to UNOSAT, “This analysis shows that two-thirds of the total structures in the Gaza Strip have sustained damage,” equating to approximately 163,778 buildings impacted. The previous assessment from early July had indicated that 63 percent of structures had been damaged.
The latest assessment detailed the extent of the damage: 52,564 structures have been destroyed, 18,913 severely damaged, 35,591 possibly damaged, and 56,710 moderately affected. Gaza City has been particularly hard-hit, with 36,611 structures reported destroyed.
Additionally, a joint report from UNOSAT and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization indicated that around 68 percent of permanent crop fields in the Gaza Strip have shown a “significant decline in health and density” as of September.
The conflict escalated following Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,205 individuals, primarily civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures, including hostages killed in captivity.
In response, Israel’s military offensive has led to the deaths of at least 41,615 people in Gaza, most of whom are reported to be civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry, which the UN has deemed reliable.
Nikhil Seth, executive director of the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), stated, “Over the past year, UNOSAT’s team has worked tirelessly to provide the world with precise and timely insights into the impact of the conflict on buildings and infrastructure in Gaza,” emphasizing the importance of satellite imagery analysis in assessing conflict-related damage and shaping emergency relief efforts.
