Israeli Troops move into Gaza City, as seen in satellite images
New images released earlier this week show Israeli troops pushing into Gaza City as part of their ongoing conflict with Hamas. The pictures depict a harrowing scene of impact craters from missile strikes and smoke rising over the northern reaches of the besieged city, which the largest urban zone in the territory.
It is estimated that over 10,500 people have died in the month-long war, with two-thirds of the casualties being women and children. The release of these satellite images by Planet Labs has shed light on the situation, and revealed the extent of the devastation caused by the conflict.
According to Will Marshall, the CEO of Planet Labs, the company has decided to delay the release of imagery from Israel and the Palestinian territories due to concerns about potential misuse, though they continue to make data available to media and humanitarian organizations.
The images from Monday show Israeli forces positioned north of the Shati refugee camp, and witnesses in Gaza City have confirmed these movements. Footage released by both Hamas and the Israeli military corroborates the reports of intense fighting in the northern reaches of Gaza City.
The Institute for the Study of War explains that clearing operations, such as the one being carried out by the Israeli military in Gaza City, can take weeks or months to complete. The ongoing conflict has made gathering independent information difficult, and satellite imagery has become increasingly valuable for reporting on the situation.
Commercial companies such as Airbus and Maxar Technologies have also provided images to reporters during the Israel-Hamas war. These images have been crucial in providing accurate and detailed information from the conflict zone.
While the conflict continues, it is clear that satellite imagery will play a crucial role in helping to understand and report on the situation in Gaza City and other conflict zones around the world.