The latest images and data taken by satellites revealed that the Israeli occupation committed major crimes in northern Gaza that amounted to the complete destruction of infrastructure, as the Israeli occupation state damaged more than half of the buildings in the north, destroyed vast areas of the region, and wiped out entire neighborhoods during its ongoing aggression for more than For 40 days, it is now in the process of pushing them into a very small square in the south, amid international refusal to evacuate southern Gaza.
Destruction of vast areas of northern Gaza
According to the British Financial Times, videos from social media, TV reporters accompanying the army, and from the Israeli occupation army itself show a devastating scene, with the ruins of once-crowded streets, markets, schools and mosques, largely empty of Palestinians.
She continued that the full extent of this damage was estimated using radar signals collected from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 satellite, where Corey Shear from the Graduate Center at the City University of New York and Jamon van den Hoek from Oregon State University used algorithms to calculate the number of damage. Buildings that have sustained damage to at least 50 percent of their structure since the start of the war.
She added that the data showed that the damage Israel inflicted on infrastructure in Gaza largely followed the path of its ground invasion, as it gathered around targets it identified, claiming that they were necessary for its military objectives. Israel is now shifting its focus eastward to Gaza City and then to southern Gaza, and over the weekend, Palestinians reported heavy shelling in Zaytoun and Jabalia refugee camp, and the United Nations said several explosions occurred in schools where civilians were sheltering.
The Israeli occupation army minister vowed last weekend that the war would soon spread to the rest of Gaza, telling Kan Radio: “The people who were on the western side of the city have already faced the deadly force of the Israeli army. The people who are on the eastern side are realizing that this evening. Those living in the southern Gaza Strip will soon understand that, too.”
Army forward bases in northern Gaza
The British newspaper confirmed that Israeli bulldozers cleared large areas of land to create forward bases for the occupation army and were followed by large numbers of infantry, as they moved through small, largely deserted towns, such as Beit Hanoun. After more than a month, nearly half of the buildings in the area were exposed. The northern Gaza area was severely damaged, according to analysis of radar data.
She continued that the northern edges of the Gaza Strip were merely a starting point for the Israeli invasion of Gaza City, and an analysis of the damage shows that when the Israeli forces moved towards their main target – Al-Shifa Hospital – they cut a path through the neighborhoods on their way, especially the Beach refugee camp, where the resident Hamas leader once lived. Doha Ismail Haniyeh, radar data shows that only 30% of the camp remains intact.
Destroying safe areas
The British newspaper confirmed that Israeli forces are now operating east of those sites, which are the only places in Gaza City that were relatively undamaged and that were largely safe. The Palestinians have reported violent fighting in Zaytoun and in the interior areas since Saturday, and in the past few days dozens have continued. Thousands of civilians fled south on a road controlled by IDF soldiers, and the residents of Khan Yunis, numbering more than 100,000 people, were ordered to evacuate their homes.
She continued that, so far, the Deir al-Balah area has been relatively undamaged. It is the southern part of the Gaza Strip, which is dotted with palm trees and horse-breeding farms. It is home to farmers and rural properties for the wealthiest families, and it is less densely populated than the densely populated areas of Gaza City and its overcrowded refugee camps. .
International warnings to Israel against repeating the tragedy in northern Gaza
Israeli officials have told their Western counterparts that they suspect Hamas leaders are now hiding south of the evacuation line they ordered Palestinians to cross for their safety. American and European officials have warned Israel to be more “precise and targeted” in its operations, especially to limit civilian casualties, and not repeat what happened in the north.
Israel has indicated that it wants the residents of southern Gaza to move again towards a small square of land called Al-Mawasi along the coast between Rafah and Khan Yunis.
