Israeli Troops Enter Gaza City in Ongoing Conflict with Hamas
Earlier this week, satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press revealed that Israeli troops have advanced into Gaza City, a major urban zone in the besieged territory. The images from Planet Labs PBC show the aftermath of missile strikes, with impact craters and rising smoke visible in the northern part of Gaza City. The images also indicate the previous positions of Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers along one of the three axes of attack used to isolate the city from the rest of the Gaza Strip.
In the wake of Hamas’ unprecedented incursion into southern Israel on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,400 people, Gaza City has witnessed a significant exodus of its population. This assault prompted a fierce campaign of airstrikes and a military offensive by the Israeli forces, resulting in the deaths of more than 10,500 people, with two-thirds of the casualties being women and children, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled enclave.
Planet Labs has decided to delay the release of imagery from Israel and the Palestinian territories due to concerns about potential misuse and abuse. Will Marshall, the CEO of the San Francisco-based firm, stated that despite the delay, Planet Labs remains committed to transparency and accountability by making the data available to clients, including media and humanitarian organizations.
The recent images show Israeli forces positioned approximately a kilometer north of the Shati refugee camp, a densely populated neighborhood near the center of Gaza City. This aligns with reports from witnesses in Gaza City who have informed the AP about Israeli soldiers engaging in combat with Hamas near Shifa Hospital, which is about 3 kilometers away from the Israeli forces’ position on Monday.
Both Hamas and the Israeli military have released footage this week depicting their respective forces engaged in street-to-street fighting. The footage corresponds with the features of the northern part of the Gaza Strip captured in the satellite images.
The Israeli military has not yet responded to the AP’s request for comment on the satellite images.
Israeli soldiers have been advancing on Gaza City from three positions, cutting across the southern edge of the city to reach the Mediterranean Sea. Meanwhile, forces from the north, stationed around Beit Hanoun, have also entered the city. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War has stated that such clearing operations typically take weeks or even months to complete.
The satellite photos reveal the presence of Israeli tanks and armored vehicles moving along the coastal road of Ahmed Orabi Street, which is lined with hotels and restaurants. The images also show a mosque in ruins and numerous impact craters, likely caused by Israeli fire to clear the area for its troops.
Gaza City is currently inaccessible to journalists outside the city, making it challenging to gather independent information about the situation. However, satellite imagery from commercial companies, such as Planet Labs, Airbus, and Maxar Technologies, has proved invaluable in reporting on closed-off areas and conflicts.
These highly detailed images, once limited to a few countries, are now more widely available due to the deployment of higher-resolution satellites by commercial firms. In the past, US law restricted the release of such high-resolution satellite imagery of Israel, but with the advancement of technology, these images have become more accessible.
Satellite imagery has previously been utilized in reporting on Israel, including the AP’s investigation in 2021, which revealed the construction of a secretive Israeli nuclear facility associated with the nation’s undeclared atomic weapons program.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, and the use of satellite imagery provides critical insights into the evolving situation on the ground.
