Israel’s Gaza Demolitions Raise Concerns Over Civilian Impact and War Laws

Thousands of buildings destroyed as Israel clears parts of Gaza following Hamas ceasefire breakdown

Controlled Demolitions Level Gaza Neighborhoods

Since pulling out of a ceasefire with Hamas in March, Israel has been carrying out widespread demolitions across Gaza. These aren’t random blasts from airstrikes — they’re controlled, deliberate takedowns of buildings, neighborhoods, and even entire towns.

According to satellite images and verified videos, large areas that were once full of homes, schools, mosques, and hospitals have now been reduced to rubble. Israel says it’s removing “terror infrastructure,” but critics argue the destruction goes far beyond military targets — and could violate international law.

What the IDF Says — and What Experts Dispute

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claims it’s following international law. A spokesperson told the BBC that Hamas hides weapons in civilian areas, and buildings are only destroyed when “military necessity” demands it.

But legal experts disagree. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, widespread destruction of civilian property by an occupying power is generally forbidden. Eitan Diamond, a legal advisor in Jerusalem, said such demolitions are only allowed under “absolute military necessity.” Destroying property over future risk — like the idea it might be used later by militants — isn’t legally justified.

Professor Janina Dill of Oxford added that occupying forces are supposed to act in the population’s best interest, not make the land “uninhabitable.”

Towns Erased: From Rafah to Khuza’a

The demolitions stretch across Gaza. In Rafah, the Tel al-Sultan neighborhood was home to the city’s only maternity hospital and an orphanage. Satellite images show it’s now mostly destroyed, except for a few buildings. The nearby Saudi neighborhood, once known for its schools and a major mosque, has also been heavily cleared.

The farming town of Khuza’a, once home to 11,000 people and fertile fields, has seen 1,200 buildings demolished. The IDF says these were part of Hamas’s network. A similar pattern appears in Abasan al-Kabira, where entire blocks were wiped out between late May and early July.

Even towns far from the border, like Qizan Abu Rashwan, have been flattened. In some areas, videos show Israeli tanks and bulldozers clearing what’s left.

Are “Security Zones” Being Built?

Some analysts believe Israel may be creating permanent “buffer zones” inside Gaza to prevent Hamas from regaining control. Others suggest it may be clearing space for a planned “humanitarian city” in Rafah, where up to 600,000 Palestinians could be relocated.

But the idea has drawn outrage. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the BBC the proposal could resemble a “concentration camp.”

Human rights lawyers warn this strategy could encourage forced migration. One analyst, Efraim Inbar, even suggested that by destroying homes, Israel might be trying to push Palestinians to leave Gaza entirely.

A View from the Ground

For Palestinians, the demolitions mean not just loss of shelter, but the erasure of their communities.

“I had just moved into my home a year before the war started,” said Moataz Yousef Ahmed Al-Absi from Tel al-Sultan. “Now, it’s been completely destroyed. After losing everything, I no longer have a home or a shelter.”

What’s Next?

There’s no sign the demolitions will slow down. Reports say Israel has received dozens of new bulldozers from the U.S. since May, and job ads in Israeli Facebook groups are openly seeking contractors to work in Gaza demolition zones.

Whether these actions hold up under international law remains to be seen — but for now, Gaza’s landscape, and the lives of its people, are being changed beyond recognition.