As plans for a long-awaited ceasefire are set in motion, Gaza’s population of more than two million Palestinians remains in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with the bombed-out streets looking unrecognisable
In what has been described as a “moment of profound relief that will be felt around the world” by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Israel and Hamas have agreed to the initial phases of a plan to end fighting in Gaza.
Mere days after the second anniversary of the harrowing October 7 attacks, US President Donald Trump announced: “This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed-upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.”
And while this development has been described as “a massive, massive moment”, the scars of the conflict are evident across the bombed-out streets of Gaza.
Gaza, home to over two million Palestinians, is in the throes of a dire humanitarian crisis, with its population heavily reliant on the scant aid permitted into the territory.
Israel’s aggressive campaign has displaced nearly 90 per cent of the populace, many of whom have been compelled to flee multiple times. Thousands have been driven from their homes in Gaza’s urban centres due to relentless airstrikes and bombings.
The shocking extent of destruction across the region is evident in Google Earth satellite images, showing thousands of buildings in Gaza’s main cities reduced to rubble.
Most of the food supplies allowed into Gaza by Israel are directed to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US organisation supported by Israel. Since it began operations in May, hundreds of Palestinians have reportedly been shot dead by Israeli soldiers while attempting to reach these sites, according to eyewitness accounts and health officials.
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The Israeli military maintains that it has only fired warning shots at those approaching its forces, as previously reported by The Mirror.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports that 1,060 Palestinians have lost their lives trying to secure food supplies. Since the terror attack in Israel on October 7, at least 64,964 people have reportedly been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, while more than 90 per cent of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed.
Meanwhile, healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed, while UN-backed food security experts have declared a famine in Gaza City.
Israel’s two-year war with Hamas has ignited global protests and resulted in an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Even after the ceasefire, the memories of the conflict will continue to haunt.
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Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza City
Once the largest and most crucial medical facility in the entire Gaza Strip, the hospital complex now lies in ruins.
Located in the north-western part of Gaza City, near the coastline and Palestine Stadium, which once boasted a capacity of 10,000 spectators.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have conducted two raids on the hospital, including a surprise campaign after alleging that Hamas had regrouped at the medical facility.
Now, it’s a charred wreckage that “reeks of death”. Rami Dababesh, a Palestinian Civil Defence worker, told BBC News: “We’ve extracted martyrs, many of whom are decomposed and completely unidentifiable. We’ve found corpses of women, children and individuals without heads as well as torn body parts.”
The UN Security Council expressed “deep concern” upon discovering mass graves at the al-Shifa and Nasser hospitals in Gaza, prompting a major investigation into alleged war crimes committed by the IDF.
Al-Bayuk is a village in the Gaza Strip, located in the southern part of the region. It was formerly part of Israel’s humanitarian zone, where thousands of displaced Palestinians were forced to evacuate.
However, the latest satellite images reveal Al-Bayuk as barely recognisable, with demolished buildings and a vast wasteland. The main road leading out of the village to the north appears almost entirely obliterated.
Deir Al-Balah
The area of Deir Al-Balah served as the primary humanitarian centre for displaced Palestinians. It had remained largely untouched – in contrast to other areas – due to concerns that Hamas was keeping hostages there.
However, Israel launched a massive air and ground assault on Deir Al-Balah back in July. Tanks flattened houses and mosques, whilst the World Health Organisation’s own headquarters also came under attack.
Over 1,000 people sustained injuries during the operation within a 24-hour timeframe, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) cautioned that any significant infrastructure damage to the area would “have life-threatening consequences”.
The agency’s local chief, Jonathan Whittall, posted on X following the campaign: “This death and suffering is preventable. And if it’s preventable, but still happening, then that suggests to me that it’s intentional.”
The satellite photographs from 2021 reveal a thriving community, featuring numerous mosques and a large football pitch. Yet the latest images display flattened structures, haunting remnants of a road system, and no trace that a football pitch ever existed.
Netzarim Corridor
The Netzarim Corridor represented an Israeli military zone which divided Gaza’s north and south. It was marked by vast numbers of Palestinians traversing the ‘boundary’ to reach the burnt-out ruins of their former homes.
The IDF pulled out from the military zone earlier this year, following a ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
“What we saw was a catastrophe, horrific destruction. The [Israeli] occupation destroyed all the homes, shops, farms, mosques, universities and the courthouse,” Osama Abu Kamil, a resident of al-Maghraqa just north of Netzarim, revealed to the AFP news agency.
He has plans to “set up a tent” for his family and himself, “next to the rubble of our house”.
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