Even after the ceasefire: Israel continues to wipe Gaza off the map
Israeli forces have demolished more than 2,500 buildings in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire began, according to an analysis by The New York Times based on satellite imagery from Planet Labs.
According to The New York Times, most of the dismantling took place in areas that remained under Israeli control under the terms of the ceasefire. At the same time, dozens of buildings were destroyed outside the so-called "yellow line" - the border beyond which the Israeli army pledged not to go, as these territories are formally under Hamas control.
The Israeli side claims that the destruction is part of a campaign to "demilitarise" Gaza: militant tunnels and buildings booby-trapped with explosives are being destroyed. According to Israeli military estimates, Hamas' underground network consisted of hundreds of kilometres and thousands of entrances used to store weapons, hold hostages and attack Israeli soldiers.
At the same time, Palestinians and human rights activists claim that the scale of destruction goes far beyond military necessity. According to the UN, even before the ceasefire, more than 80% of all buildings in Gaza were damaged or destroyed. Satellite imagery analysed by The New York Times shows that entire neighbourhoods, farmland and greenhouses have been reduced to rubble since the ceasefire was declared.
Hamas representatives called such actions a direct violation of the terms of the agreement, stressing that the ceasefire provided for the cessation of all military operations, including bombings and air strikes. Former Israeli soldiers have also criticised the scale of the dismantling, saying that it is not a matter of spot operations, but of «total destruction» of the territories.
The stories of Gazans who have lost their homes only add to the drama of the situation, with many learning of the final destruction of their neighbourhoods after they have been displaced, calling it a «wiping out of memory and the lives of entire communities.
Gaza, Hamas, UN
