Satellite images reveal Israel expanding Gaza military sites

Images amusement Israel gathering imperishable subject bases successful Gaza arsenic US-backed reconstruction plans stall.

The United States has projected plans to rebuild Rafah, a metropolis successful confederate Gaza that was flattened by 2 years of Israeli bombardment. It has been touted arsenic the centrepiece of a US-Israeli imaginativeness for a post-war Gaza, but outer images suggest the task has stalled earlier adjacent breaking ground.

An Al Jazeera Digital Investigations Unit introspection of Planet Labs and Sentinel Hub outer imagery revealed that Israeli subject fortifications are expanding astatine a relentless gait crossed Gaza, peculiarly successful Rafah.

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Analysis of imagery from February 25 to March 15 confirmed that portion rubble removal has fundamentally ceased successful Beit Hanoon successful the northbound and Rafah, Israeli forces are systematically entrenching a imperishable subject world crossed the devastated enclave.

While civilian reconstruction has slowed, Israeli subject operation has accelerated. Satellite imagery from March 10 shows extended clearing and fortification astatine the strategical al-Muntar hilltop successful Shujayea, a neighbourhood successful Gaza City, and outposts successful Khan Younis successful Gaza’s south.

In cardinal Gaza, Sentinel imagery from March 15 revealed ongoing enactment connected a trench and ungraded berm reaching arsenic acold arsenic the Maghazi campy adjacent Deir el-Balah. In Juhor ad-Dik, caller roads present nexus established subject sites to recently levelled areas, suggesting the instauration of imperishable outposts.

These findings align with a precocious 2025 probe by Forensic Architecture that identified 48 Israeli subject sites wrong Gaza – 13 of which were built aft an October “ceasefire”. These sites person evolved into imperishable bases with paved roads, watchtowers and changeless connection links to Israel’s home subject network.

Satellite images captured from February 20 to March 10, 2026, uncover important engineering and enlargement enactment astatine an Israeli subject outpost successful eastbound Gaza City [Planet Labs]

The ‘New Rafah’ illusion

At the World Economic Forum successful the Swiss metropolis of Davos successful January, Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, showcased AI-generated visions of a “New Rafah” featuring skyscrapers and luxury resorts. Trump further promoted this “Middle East Riviera” done a 20-point plan, promising $10bn successful backing via the Board of Peace, which helium has established arsenic a imaginable rival of the United Nations.

However, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has warned that the “New Rafah” program is simply a mechanics for demographic re-engineering and forced displacement.

The program involves dividing Gaza into colonisation blocks and closed subject zones. Palestinians would beryllium confined to “cities” of residential caravans, each packing astir 25,000 radical into a azygous quadrate kilometre (0.4sq miles). These “cities” are to beryllium surrounded by fences and checkpoints, and entree to indispensable services would beryllium contingent upon passing Israeli-US information screenings – a exemplary Euro-Med likened to ghettos.

Satellite images of an Israeli subject tract successful Khan Younis amusement continuous development, paving and operation of fortifications successful March 2026 [File: Planet Labs]

A new, imperishable border

Gaza’s “yellow line” “ceasefire” bound is being transformed into a imperishable frontier. In Beit Lahiya successful the north, outer images from March 4 amusement the operation of a ungraded berm on the “yellow line” and different moving parallel to it and constructed much than 580 metres (634 yards) into what the “ceasefire” designates arsenic onshore wherever Palestinians are expected to unrecorded – a important encroachment beyond the designated line.

In December, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir defined the enactment arsenic a “new border”. Defence Minister Israel Katz aboriginal declared Israel would “never permission Gaza”, promising to found military-agricultural settlements.

Al Jazeera’s probe further documented that Israel has secretly moved factual bound markers hundreds of metres deeper into areas designated for Palestinians.

Traces of Israeli subject vehicles operating beyond a ungraded berm connected the ‘yellow line’ successful bluish Gaza are seen connected March 10, 2026, successful wide usurpation of ‘ceasefire’ demarcations [File: Sentinel Hub]

A bloody ‘ceasefire’

Despite the October “ceasefire”, unit persists. Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported 750 deaths and much than 2,090 injuries since the “ceasefire” began, bringing the full decease toll since the October 2023 commencement of Israel’s genocidal warfare to much than 72,300. An autarkic survey successful The Lancet aesculapian diary suggested the existent decease toll could beryllium importantly higher. It estimated much than 75,000 deaths from “direct violence” by aboriginal 2025 alone.

An Al Jazeera analysis recovered that Israel has launched attacks connected 160 retired of the 182 days of the “ceasefire”. These attacks often impact incursions aimed astatine levelling areas designated for Palestinian habitation.

Efforts to papers these developments are facing unprecedented hurdles. This month, Planet Labs announced an “indefinite” prohibition connected images from struggle zones aft a US authorities request. Other providers, similar Vantor, person imposed akin restrictions, severely limiting the quality of media and quality rights groups to show the concern successful Gaza.

As of this month, humanitarian assessments by assistance groups, including Oxfam and Save the Children, person fixed the Trump reconstruction program a failing grade, saying it has failed to “demonstrate a wide interaction connected conditions wrong Gaza”.

(Al Jazeera)