Al Jazeera’s Sanad compared satellite images from Oct. 8 to Jan. 8 and found sustained bulldozer activity in Beit Hanoon, northern Gaza. Around 408,000 m² of land — including the remains of at least 329 homes and farmland — was cleared, beginning at the town’s edge facing Sderot (≈2 km away). Israeli officials have proposed “Nava Nahal” agricultural-military outposts, while critics and UN experts warn the operation risks displacing Palestinians and consolidating long-term control.
Satellite Investigation: Israeli Forces Flatten Large Areas of Beit Hanoon Despite Ceasefire
A partially-destroyed Beit Hanoon before being razed by the Israeli military, October 8, 2025 [Planet Labs PBC]
Al Jazeera digital investigations unit Sanad reports that Israeli military bulldozers have cleared vast areas of Beit Hanoon in northern Gaza, even after a ceasefire took effect in October. Analysis of satellite imagery captured between October 8 and January 8 shows sustained earth-moving activity across formerly residential and agricultural land.
Satellite Findings
Sanad’s comparison of images taken before and after the ceasefire found that roughly 408,000 square metres (about 4.39 million sq ft) have been cleared. The team says the operation removed the remains of at least 329 homes along with agricultural plots that had survived earlier phases of the war.
Extent and Location of Clearing
Images from October show Beit Hanoon with many war-damaged but still-standing structures. By mid-December, however, those areas appeared largely levelled and transformed into a flattened, brown expanse. The rubble-removal work began at the town’s northern edge facing the security barrier and nearby Israeli communities. Beit Hanoon is roughly 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) from the Israeli town of Sderot.
Political Context and Plans
Observers note political statements and proposals that give the clearing a wider strategic context. In December 2024, Israeli ministers and members of parliament were reported by Haaretz to have pointed toward parts of Gaza from Sderot and said some Jewish families were prepared to relocate “as soon as possible.” At a conference on December 23, Defence Minister Israel Katz outlined proposals for "Nava Nahal" agricultural-military outposts — hybrid bases combining cultivation with an armed presence — and said Israel “will never withdraw and will never leave Gaza,” describing them as replacements for settlements evacuated in 2005.
Responses and Legal Concerns
Critics say the clearing risks displacing Palestinians and could facilitate long-term control over territory. United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese warned that “under the fog of war, Israel is going to destroy Gaza, displace the Palestinians, and attempt to reoccupy and conquer the land.” An officer quoted in the Long War Journal described the campaign as aimed at creating “a significant security perimeter” to prevent adversaries from returning to infrastructure.
Damage Across Gaza
The United Nations reported that by last October about 81 percent of Gaza’s structures had been damaged or destroyed, with northern Gaza among the hardest hit. Sanad’s findings on Beit Hanoon fit into this broader pattern of large-scale structural damage across the territory.
Ceasefire Violations
Monitoring groups report that since the ceasefire began on October 10, there have been numerous alleged violations. Al Jazeera cites reports that Israel has breached the ceasefire at least 1,300 times, including incidents of firing on civilians and bombing or shelling. These figures are reported by monitoring sources and referenced in media coverage.
Note: The figures, quotations and descriptions in this article are based on Al Jazeera’s Sanad satellite analysis and reporting from outlets including Haaretz, the Long War Journal, and statements from UN officials. Local and international reporting may continue to update these findings.
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