Gov’t Media Office says Israeli airstrikes destroyed 70% of Gaza’s homes
Gaza (Quds News Network) – The Government Media Office reported today that Israel’s relentless airstrikes on Gaza, spanning nearly three months, have obliterated a staggering 70 percent of homes in the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Although specific details were not disclosed, an earlier report highlighted the destruction of over 200 heritage and archaeological sites, marking this Israeli bombardment as one of the most destructive in modern history.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, approximately 300,000 out of 439,000 homes have been destroyed by the relentless Israeli attacks. Satellite imagery analysis revealed that the 29,000 bombs dropped targeted not only residential areas but also Byzantine-era churches, hospitals, shopping malls, and civilian infrastructure that now lie damaged beyond repair.
Robert Pape, a political scientist at the University of Chicago renowned for his work on the history of aerial bombing, drew a historical parallel, stating, “The word ‘Gaza’ is going to go down in history along with Dresden [Germany] and other famous cities that have been bombed.”
Comparisons underline the severity of the situation, with Gaza’s destruction surpassing that of Syria’s Aleppo between 2012 and 2016, Ukraine’s Mariupol, and even, proportionally, the Allied bombing of Germany in World War II. The civilian toll exceeds that of the U.S.-led coalition’s three-year campaign against the ISIS group.
Despite a severe shortage of medical supplies due to Israel's siege, Palestinian health workers in Gaza tirelessly uphold the health system. Their selflessness and dedication amid overwhelming challenges are truly inspiring. pic.twitter.com/qDOi3PiL4J
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 31, 2023
Between 1942 and 1945, the Allies targeted 51 major German cities and towns, destroying 40-50 percent of their urban areas, as highlighted by Pape in an interview with The Associated Press.
Describing Gaza’s plight, he remarked, “Gaza is one of the most intense civilian punishment campaigns in history” and unequivocally stated, “It now sits comfortably in the top quartile of the most devastating bombing campaigns ever.”
Corey Scher of the CUNY Graduate Center and Jamon Van Den Hoek of Oregon State University further emphasized the drastic transformation of Gaza, noting, “Gaza is now a different color from space. It’s a different texture.”
