Gaza genocide: Satellite photos show how Israeli forces have erased Palestinian towns

The New Indian Express

Israeli military forces have systematically demolished over 60 percent of the Gaza Strip, using bulldozers and explosives to raze entire towns like Rafah and Bani Suheila. This extensive campaign of territorial clearance has left nearly two million Palestinians homeless, transforming the coastal enclave into a vast network of temporary tent cities.

Satellite imagery from Planet Labs PBC reveals that the scale of destruction has continued unabated even after the ceasefire agreement established a year ago. Most civilian housing is now rubble. The Israel Defense Forces have constructed at least 50 military outposts, including 18 built post-ceasefire, on top of cleared neighborhoods such as Shijaiyah and Jabaliya. United Nations investigators warn that these actions deliberately inflict unlivable conditions, contributing to what they term an ongoing genocide in Gaza. With reconstruction stalled due to disarmament disputes and strict Israeli import controls on building materials, the displaced population remains entirely dependent on international humanitarian aid.

Comment

The systematic leveling of urban areas in Gaza represents a shift toward a denial-of-terrain doctrine. By clearing dense urban sectors like Bani Suheila, the Israel Defense Forces aim to eliminate the defensive advantages of subterranean networks. This destructive approach prioritises physical erasure over traditional urban clearing operations to reduce Israel Defense Forces casualties in close-quarters combat.

The operational mechanism of this denial doctrine relies on establishing fortified Israel Defense Forces outposts directly on top of flattened civilian infrastructure. Satellite imagery from Planet Labs PBC confirms the construction of these outposts across Shijaiyah, transforming former residential zones into active military nodes. This spatial reconfiguration permanently alters the tactical geography, preventing Hamas from re-establishing defensive positions in northern Gaza.

Strategic Question for Discussion

Which factor will ultimately dictate the success of the Israel Defense Forces' denial-of-terrain strategy in Shijaiyah—the physical prevention of Hamas's subterranean access, or the political cost of indefinite territorial occupation?

The available evidence points toward the political and logistical costs of indefinite occupation outweighing the immediate tactical benefits of physical denial. While flattening sectors like Shijaiyah temporarily disrupts Hamas's local command structures, the long-term requirement to garrison dozens of newly constructed outposts exposes Israel Defense Forces personnel to persistent asymmetric attacks. Consequently, the strategy likely shifts the conflict into a protracted war of attrition rather than achieving a decisive operational end state.

Share your assessment in the comments below.

To read in details click here