UN reports nearly two-thirds of Gaza buildings damaged, destroyed

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
3 Aug 2024 09:21

The UN evaluation has been conducted by comparing images from May 2023 with those taken on July 6 of this year.

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Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip, on Monday, June 3, 2024. (AP)

The United Nations reported that almost two-thirds of buildings in the Gaza Strip have been either damaged or destroyed since the onset of the Israeli war on Gaza in October.

"UNOSAT's latest damage building assessment, based on satellite imagery... reveals that 151,265 structures have been affected in the Gaza Strip," the UN Satellite Center stressed.

"Of these, 30 percent were destroyed, 12 percent severely damaged, 36 percent moderately damaged, and 20 percent possibly damaged, representing approximately 63 percent of the total structures in the region," it added.

The evaluation was conducted by comparing images from May 2023 with those taken on July 6 of this year.

"The impact on civilian infrastructure is evident, with thousands of homes and essential facilities being damaged," the agency said.

Gaza war rubble

Additionally, UNOSAT reported that the Israeli war has produced approximately 41.95 million metric tonnes of rubble in the Gaza Strip.

The current debris figure represents an 83 percent increase from the nearly 23 million tonnes estimated on January 7.

According to UNOSAT, the war has produced 14 times more debris than all previous Israeli aggressions in the Palestinian territory since 2008. The agency estimated that each square meter of the Gaza Strip has generated about 114 kilograms (250 pounds) of debris.

UNOSAT, based in Geneva, uses satellite imagery to assist the humanitarian community in evaluating the damage caused by the war and in planning emergency relief efforts.