Satellite imagery reveals 82% of Gaza's structures damaged as war enters third year
Newly updated satellite images from Google Maps and a brief lapse in Israeli government mapping services reveal the scale of destruction in the Gaza Strip three years after the war began in October 2023. Approximately 82% of structures, or roughly 200,000 buildings, have been damaged, with two-thirds completely destroyed. The UN Satellite Centre reports a 9% increase in destroyed structures since the ceasefire began nearly a year ago. Over 74,000 Palestinians have been killed, and agricultural land in northern Gaza is 94% damaged. Key sites, including the port of Gaza City and the Jabalia refugee camp, are reduced to rubble, while displaced populations remain concentrated in areas like Al-Mawasi.