Gaza Today: trapped beneath rubble, swallowed by darkness

Unprecedented Debris and Darkness Flood Gaza

On July 9, 2025, a Palestinian woman cleared rubble from her home after an Israeli airstrike on the Al-Shati camp, west of Gaza City. The UN and NASA analysis shows Gaza has been buried under millions of tonnes of debris, plunging the region into darkness.

Destruction Stats

• Israeli air campaign has killed 59,219 people, mostly civilians.
• UNOSAT reports 174,500 buildings destroyed, generating 53.5 million tonnes of rubble.
• Average rubble density: 146 kg per square metre.
• Debris volume is 18 times higher than all building damage from the prior 15 years.

Health Hazards

UNEP estimates the debris contains 3.7 t of asbestos and 2.6 t of toxic industrial waste. Refugee camps such as Jabalia and Rafah sit near areas contaminated with asbestos.

Medical Facilities

• Only 18 of 36 hospitals are partially functional.
• 63 of 163 healthcare facilities can provide care.

Educational Buildings

• 501 of 564 schools are damaged (≈90 %).
• 95 schools are severely damaged.
• 406 schools are directly hit.

Power and Light

• Pre‑war: Gaza had about 12 hrs of mains electricity per day.
• 2024: The power grid has been down for 24 hrs a day.
• NASA’s BlackMarble data show night‑time radiance fell 7 × from Jan‑May 2025 versus the 5‑month pre‑war period. Gaza City’s radiance dropped 16 ×.
• The only bright spot remains the Philadelphi Corridor, fully controlled by Israeli forces.