United Nations Reveals Number of Destroyed Buildings in Gaza

United Nations estimates revealed on Tuesday that "about 40,000 buildings in the Gaza Strip, or nearly one-fifth of those existing before the conflict, have been completely or partially damaged since it erupted on October 7." The latest estimates were based on images dated November 26 from the United Nations Satellite Centre, where analysts examined high-resolution satellite images to identify damaged buildings and publish maps to guide relief efforts and reconstruction plans during natural disasters and conflicts. Such estimates may understate the actual extent of the destruction, as they do not show all the damage to buildings; for example, a collapsed building may appear undamaged if its roof is intact. The United Nations Satellite Centre stated: "There is a 49 percent increase in the total number of damaged buildings, highlighting the escalating impact of the conflict on civilian infrastructure." The assessment showed that the most affected areas are concentrated in the Gaza and North Gaza governorates, where there were 29,732 of the total 37,379 buildings that were completely or partially damaged, accounting for about 80 percent of the total.