Israel clearing northern Gaza land for settlements: Report
A report indicates that the Israeli regime has continued to demolish homes and agricultural land in northern Gaza since the October ceasefire, as part of an apparent effort to reoccupy the area and reintroduce settlers after more than two decades.
The Monday report by Al Jazeera cited satellite images analyzed by the network's digital investigations unit. The analysis showed that Israel has been systematically flattening the remains of homes in the town of Beit Hanoon in the weeks since the ceasefire.
This evidence is seen as confirmation of Israel's intention to reoccupy parts of Gaza following a two-year war that resulted in massive destruction of the territory and left over 70,000 people dead.
The report said that between October 8, two days before the ceasefire began, and January 8, Israeli bulldozers leveled approximately 408,000 square meters (4.39 million square feet) of land in Beit Hanoon. This includes the remnants of at least 329 homes and agricultural sites destroyed during the war.
That comes as images of the town prior to this operation show buildings that were damaged in the war alongside structures that had remained intact.
Al Jazeera suggested that the clearing operation in Beit Hanoon may be a preparatory step for establishing illegal Israeli settlements in the area.
United Nations figures show that about 81% of structures in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed by Israel since the war began on October 7, 2024. The destruction in northern Gaza has been particularly extensive, with extremist Israeli politicians repeatedly stating plans for settlers to occupy the area.
Israeli war minister Israel Katz has declared that the regime “will never withdraw and will never leave Gaza,” insisting that agricultural-military bases will be established in the north of the territory.
Katz said these bases would replace the Israeli settlements that were cleared in 2005 when Israel withdrew its settlers from Gaza under international and Palestinian pressure.
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