70% of Gaza Homes Destroyed under Israeli Bombardment: Report
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Almost three months of relentless Israeli bombardment in Gaza has resulted in the destruction of 70% of homes in the besieged Palestinian enclave, the Government Media Office said, marking one of the most destructive campaigns in modern history.
Although no specific details were provided, an earlier report revealed over 200 heritage and archaeological sites were also destroyed in this devastating Israeli bombardment.
A Wall Street Journal report further indicated that out of 439,000 homes, about 300,000 have been destroyed by Israeli attacks. Analyzing satellite imagery, the report added that the 29,000 bombs dropped on the strip have targeted residential areas, Byzantine churches, hospitals and shopping malls and all civilian infrastructure has been damaged to an extent that they cannot be repaired.
Political scientist Robert Pape from the University of Chicago compared the destruction in Gaza to historical bombings, stating, “The word ‘Gaza’ is going to go down in history along with Dresden (Germany) and other famous cities that have been bombed.”
The ongoing offensive in Gaza has surpassed the destruction witnessed in the Allied bombing of Germany in World War II. It has resulted in the deaths of over 21,500 people and 55,000 injuries, with more than 1,000 children undergoing amputations since October 7.
Between 1942 and 1945, the Allies attacked 51 major German cities and towns, destroying about 40-50 percent of their urban areas, Pape told The Associated Press news agency.
“Gaza is one of the most intense civilian punishment campaigns in history,” said Pape. “It now sits comfortably in the top quartile of the most devastating bombing campaigns ever.”
Critics argue that Israel's bombing of Gaza, one of the world's most densely populated areas, housing 2.3 million people, is excessive. Reports and rights groups indicate that more than 70% of those killed are civilians, with over 70% being children, women, and the elderly. Over 90% of Gaza's population is now displaced, with hunger and disease outbreaks looming due to restricted aid deliveries by Israel.
While Israel has not disclosed details about the munitions used in Gaza, experts believe the majority are US-made, including 2,000-pound "bunker-busters." CNN reported that about half of Israeli munitions dropped on Gaza were imprecise "dumb" bombs, raising concerns about civilian threats.
The Israeli news outlet +972 also previously reported that the Israeli military has loosened its standards regarding acceptable civilian harm from attacks, resulting in a higher portion of civilians killed than in previous rounds of military assaults.
Human Rights Watch accused Israel of using banned white phosphorous.
