The Israeli occupation army claimed in a statement to the Yediot Ahronot newspaper that the destruction rate in Gaza was only 16% from the start of the war in October 2023 until the end of May 2024. They added that 36% of temporary and non-permanent constructions, such as sheds, apartments, camps, and agricultural sites in the Gaza Strip, were destroyed during the same period.
According to Israeli data, 35,952 permanent buildings were destroyed, while 84,276 temporary constructions were leveled to the ground. The Israeli army noted that these statistics were compiled using aerial maps drawn by the 9900 Air Force Brigade. They also mentioned that prior to the war, Gaza had 453,188 buildings, including 235,427 temporary constructions, with the remainder being permanent structures.
The occupation forces suggested that there may not be a significant change in the future regarding the number of destroyed buildings, anticipating the cessation of activities resulting in further destruction.
They admitted that thousands of destroyed buildings were not necessarily associated with resistance factions or used by resistance fighters. Instead, they were demolished because of their proximity to the Israeli borders, aiming to establish a 1-kilometer-wide buffer zone between Israeli settlements and the Gaza Strip.
Misbar analyzed the data presented by the occupation army regarding the destruction rate in Gaza and found discrepancies compared to other reports on the devastation in the area.
Below, Misbar presents several reports detailing the destruction rate in Gaza since the beginning of the Israeli aggression.
United Nations: More Than Half of the Buildings in Gaza Were Damaged
The United Nations Satellite Center (UNOSAT) reported that more than half of the buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged as a result of Israeli aggression since October 2023. UNOSAT stated that a total of 137,297 buildings in the Strip were affected by the aggression, which is equivalent to 55%. According to satellite image analysis, the center reported that 36,591 buildings were destroyed, 16,513 buildings were severely damaged, 47,368 buildings were moderately damaged, and 36,825 faced potential damage.
The United Nations center based its analysis on satellite images taken on May 3, 2023, and compared them with images of the Gaza Strip taken in May 2024. UNOSAT indicated that its comparisons showed the governorates of Deir al-Balah and Gaza suffered the worst damage between April 1 and May 3.
UNRWA Reports: 62% of Gaza’s Buildings Destroyed
For its part, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated that the war in the Gaza Strip damaged or destroyed about 62% of all houses. It also reported that 84% of health facilities were destroyed or damaged.
UNRWA highlighted that 625,000 children in Gaza were out of school due to the collapse of the education system in the Gaza Strip. The agency emphasized the unprecedented destruction and its serious consequences on the social and psychological well-being of women, youth, and vulnerable populations.
Government Media Office: 430,000 Housing Units Damaged
Contrary to the occupation's claims, the government media office reported in its update on the main statistics of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, dated June 27, which marks the 265th day of the aggression. According to the report, the occupation completely destroyed 150,000 housing units, while 80,000 became uninhabitable due to damage. An additional 200,000 housing units were partially destroyed.
The statistics from the government media office also included the destruction of 195 government buildings by the occupation, along with 112 schools and universities completely destroyed, and 323 partially destroyed. Furthermore, 608 mosques were completely destroyed and 209 were partially destroyed.
Josep Borrell: Over 60% of Gaza’s Infrastructure Damaged
European Union foreign policy official Josep Borrell stated in a speech before the European Parliament that over 60% of Gaza's physical infrastructure was damaged, with 35% of it completely destroyed.
Borrell emphasized that the Israeli aggression on Gaza resulted in destruction exceeding that experienced by German cities during World War II. He stressed the importance of Israel's adherence to international law and the implementation of provisional measures mandated by the International Court of Justice to protect all civilians.
Wall Street Journal: 70% of Gaza’s Buildings Damaged or Destroyed
Similarly, the Wall Street Journal reported that since the beginning of its aggression until mid-December 2023, the Israeli occupation had dropped 29,000 bombs, ammunition, and shells, resulting in the destruction of approximately 70% of the buildings in the Gaza Strip. The newspaper highlighted that Israeli bombings caused damage to Byzantine churches, historic mosques, factories, commercial centers, luxury hotels, theaters, schools, and other facilities, most of which were beyond repair. It described what the Strip endured as "the most destructive war in modern history."
The newspaper noted that experts assessed the damage by analyzing satellite images and using remote sensing, a method that monitors physical properties by measuring reflected and emitted radiation from a distance.
The Gaza Strip, one of the world's most densely populated areas, is home to an estimated 2.37 million people, according to estimates from the General Administration of Civil Status in the Ministry of Interior in Gaza as of the end of 2022. The Gaza Strip covers an area of 365 square kilometers, constituting about 1.33% of historical Palestine's area.
There are 44 population centers in the Gaza Strip, including Gaza, Rafah, Khan Yunis, Bani Suhaila, Khuza’a, Abasan al-Kabira, Abasan al-Jadidah, Deir al-Balah, Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun, and Jabalia. The Gaza Strip has a population density of 26,000 residents per square kilometer, which rises to approximately 55,000 residents per square kilometer in the camps.
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