Arab News | Israeli forces have damaged 82% of all buildings in Gaza since October 2023: PCBS

LONDON: Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have damaged an estimated 82 percent of all buildings in the coastal enclave since October 2023, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reported on Monday.

The PCBS said about 201,290 buildings had been targeted from late 2023 through to June 2026. Of these, 134,422 had been destroyed, and 13,848 sustained severe damage, according to the Palestine News Agency.

The conflict in Gaza, following Hamas’ cross-border attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, has led to the displacement of 90 percent of the 2.1 million Palestinian residents in the territory.

The PCBS reported that Israeli forces had damaged about 90 percent of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure over the same period, with 70 percent of households having access to only 6 liters of water per person per day, below the 15 liters advised by the World Health Organization.

An update to Google Maps last week revealed vast areas of rubble and flattened buildings across southern Gaza, showing the scale of destruction in Khan Younis, Rafah and elsewhere caused by Israeli bombing.

Several international organizations have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, where the regime has killed over 70,000 people. The International Criminal Court has issued warrants of arrest for several Israeli leaders on charges of committing war crimes.