Updated Google Earth satellite imagery has highlighted the extent of the destruction in Gaza, with large swaths of the territory appearing covered in rubble following the war between Israel and Hamas.
Israeli military operations have caused extensive damage to homes, hospitals, schools and buildings throughout the Gaza Strip, which covers about 141 square miles and is considered among the most densely populated areas in the world.
According to reports by The Independent, Benjamin Netanyahu's government has denied entry to foreign journalists, independent investigators and some human rights organizations into the territory. The Independent's Bel Trew, who flew over Gaza last year, described images of charred rubble and destroyed cities.
An MEP, Barry Andrews, also published a reaction to the new satellite images, calling them clear evidence of the extent of the destruction. It is not known exactly when the images were updated, while The Independent has asked Google for comment.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has called for international investigators to have access to all areas of Gaza to collect evidence and document suspected violations, as the discovery of human remains under the rubble continues.
A recently released UN report described the economic situation in Gaza as one of the worst crises ever recorded. According to the report, about 90 percent of working-age Palestinians are unemployed, while annual GDP per capita has fallen to just $212, or about 58 cents a day.
Only 1.5 percent of arable land is said to still be accessible to Palestinians, while agricultural and industrial activity has declined by about 94 percent.
The scale of the destruction poses another problem: clearing the rubble. According to data cited by The Independent, around 60 million tons of construction waste may have been scattered across the territory.
Earlier this year, the International Committee of the Red Cross said that there was only one fully functional excavator in Gaza to clear the rubble in the entire territory. Thousands of people are believed to still be buried under collapsed buildings.
The forensic team in Gaza told The Independent that a lack of DNA testing has left hundreds of bodies unidentified. It said at least 1,129 bodies had been pulled from the rubble but remained unnamed.
According to the World Health Organization, about 90 percent of hospitals in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. Meanwhile, data from the United Nations Satellite Center, UNOSAT, shows that about 82 percent of structures and more than 90 percent of housing units have been damaged or destroyed.
Almost the entire population has been left homeless, while some residents continue to take shelter in the remains of collapsed buildings.
Another concern is the preservation of evidence. A CBC News investigation claimed that satellite images show Israeli operations to collect and remove rubble in several areas of Gaza. According to critics, the rubble may contain human remains and evidence that could be relevant to investigations into alleged violations of international law.
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, has warned that the removal, fragmentation and relocation of rubble should not lead to the destruction of evidence or hinder the identification and recovery of bodies.
According to her, the ruins of Gaza may contain human remains and physical evidence related to investigations into alleged international crimes, including charges of genocide.
Israel denies accusations that it is committing war crimes and has called the genocide accusation anti-Semitic.
