Gaza’s Devastating Damage: Two-Thirds of Buildings Destroyed or Damaged Since October 2023
The United Nations has released a shocking report detailing the devastating damage to the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in October 2023. According to the UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), two-thirds of the region’s buildings have been destroyed or damaged, with over 163,000 structures affected.
The latest assessment, based on high-resolution imagery collected in September, shows a significant deterioration in the damage since the previous report in July. The UNOSAT analysis revealed that 66% of the total structures in the Gaza Strip have sustained damage, with 52,564 structures 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 destroyed. The damage extends beyond buildings, with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization reporting a significant decline in the health and density of permanent crop fields in the Gaza Strip.
The conflict, which began with Hamas’s unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, has resulted in the deaths of 1,205 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures. Israel’s retaliatory military offensive has killed at least 41,615 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to figures provided by the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN has described the figures as reliable.
The UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), which is part of the UNOSAT, uses satellite imagery analysis to help the humanitarian community assess the extent of conflict-related damage and shape emergency relief efforts. UNITAR’s executive director, Nikhil Seth, praised the team’s tireless work in providing precise and timely insights into the impact of the conflict on buildings and infrastructure in Gaza.
The devastating damage to the Gaza Strip is a stark reminder of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region. As the world struggles to come to terms with the scale of the destruction, it is clear that urgent action is needed to provide relief and support to those affected.
