Tamara Qiblawi, Allegra Goodwin, Gianluca Mezzofiore and Nima Elbagir | Visuals by Renée Rigdon, Alex Newman and Ian Berry | Video by Barbara Arvanitidis, Mark Baron and Alex Platt
Fri, December 22, 2023
In the first month of its war in Gaza, Israel dropped hundreds of massive bombs, many of them capable of killing or wounding people more than 1,000 feet away, analysis by CNN and artificial intelligence company Synthetaic suggests.
Satellite imagery from those early days of the war reveals more than 500 impact craters over 12 meters (40 feet) in diameter, consistent with those left behind by 2,000-pound bombs. Those are four times heavier than the largest bombs the United States dropped on ISIS in Mosul, Iraq, during the war against the extremist group there.
Weapons and warfare experts blame the extensive use of heavy munitions such as the 2,000-pound bomb for the soaring death toll. The population of Gaza is packed together much more tightly than almost anywhere else on earth, so the use of such heavy munitions has a profound effect.
“The use of 2,000-pound bombs in an area as densely populated as Gaza means it will take decades for communities to recover,” said John Chappell, advocacy and legal fellow at CIVIC, a DC-based group focused on minimizing civilian harm in conflict.
Israel has come under pressure internationally over the scale of the devastation in Gaza, with even staunch ally US President Joe Biden accusing Israel of “indiscriminate bombing” of the coastal strip.
Israeli officials have argued that its heavy munitions are necessary to eliminating Hamas, whose fighters killed more than 1,200 people and took more than 240 hostages on October 7. They also claim that Israel is doing all it can to minimize civilian casualties.
“In response to Hamas’ barbaric attacks, the IDF is operating to dismantle Hamas’ military and administrative capabilities,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement in response to CNN’s reporting. “In stark contrast to Hamas’ intentional attacks on Israeli men, women and children, the IDF follows international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.”
Hamas relies on a sprawling tunnel network that is believed to crisscross the Gaza Strip. Proponents of Israel’s campaign in Gaza argue that the heavy munitions act as bunker busters, helping to destroy Hamas’ underground infrastructure.
But 2,000-pound bombs are normally used sparingly by Western militaries, experts say, because of their potential impact on densely populated areas like Gaza. International humanitarian law prohibits indiscriminate bombing.
Marc Garlasco a former US defense intelligence analyst and former UN war crimes investigator, said the density of Israel’s first month of bombardment in Gaza had “not been seen since Vietnam.”
Garlasco, now a military adviser at PAX, a Dutch non-governmental organization that advocates for peace, reviewed all the incidents analyzed in this report for CNN.
“You’d have to go back to the Vietnam war to make a comparison,” said Garlasco. “Even in both Iraq wars it was never that dense.”
The heavy munitions, mostly manufactured by the US, can cause high casualty events and can have a lethal fragmentation radius – an area of exposure to injury or death around the target – of up to 365 meters (about 1,198 feet), or the equivalent of 58 soccer fields in area.
Weapons and warfare experts blame the extensive use of heavy weaponry, such as the 2,000-pound bomb for the soaring death toll. According to authorities in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, about 20,000 people have been killed since October 7.
Most of the dead are women and children, according to those figures.
CNN partnered with US AI company Synthetaic which used Rapid Automatic Image Categorization (RAIC) to detect craters, smoke plumes and damaged buildings in tasked satellite imagery over the Gaza Strip. The findings were manually reviewed by a member of Synthetaic, as well as by CNN journalists.
CNN and Synthetaic’s findings “reveal and emphasize the sheer intensity of the bombardment over a very short period of time,” according to Annie Shiel, US advocacy director at CIVIC.
A man sits on debris as Palestinians conduct a search and rescue operation in Jabalya refugee camp in Gaza City, on November 1. - Ali Jadallah/Anadolu/Getty Images
A high-intensity offensive
For over two months, Israel has conducted a high-intensity war in Gaza, combining heavy aerial bombardment with relentless rounds of artillery fire, as well as a ground invasion that began on October 27.
The operation has wrought devastation that stretches across swathes of the besieged enclave, satellite imagery and video show.
“In two months, we’ve had about the level of strikes in this tiny little area in Gaza as what we saw in Mosul and Raqqa combined,” said Larry Lewis, research director at the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) and formerly the US State Department’s senior adviser on civilian harm, referring to US-led coalition operations against two ISIS strongholds. “It is an incredible amount of strikes, period-wise.”
The US dropped a 2,000-pound bomb only once during its fight against ISIS – the most recent Western war on a militant group in the Middle East. It fell on the so-called caliphate’s self-declared capital of Raqqa in Syria.
On November 6 – the final day of CNN and Synthetaic’s dataset – the death toll in Gaza surpassed 10,000 people, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah, citing authorities in Hamas-controlled Gaza.
Later that week, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf – the most senior American diplomat on the Middle East – said the death toll could be “even higher.”
“In this period of conflict and the conditions of war, it is very difficult for any of us to assess what the rate of casualties are,” said Leaf during a hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “We think they’re very high, frankly. It could be even higher than are being cited.”
Last week, US intelligence sources told CNN that 40-45% of the 29,000 air-to-surface munitions dropped on Gaza by then were so-called dumb bombs, unguided munitions that can pose a greater threat to civilians, especially in densely populated territories like Gaza.
Some of these are likely to be the 2,000-pound bombs detected in the satellite imaging of the craters. Israel has a large arsenal of the big bombs, known as MK-84s. When a GPS-guided kit is attached to the MK-84, the bomb becomes known as a GBU-31.
According to two people familiar with the matter, the US has provided Israel with more than 5,400 MK-84s since October 7.
“The devastation that we’ve seen for communities in Gaza is unfortunately, co-signed by the United States,” said CIVIC’s Chappell. “Too much of it is carried out by bombs that were made in the United States.”
Extensive big bomb attacks around Gaza City
The 2,000-pound bombs feature prominently in attacks on the perimeter of Gaza City, the epicenter of the Israeli military operation in October and much of November.
Israel’s ground forces eventually laid siege to the city in early November. The bombing pattern seen in the satellite images suggests that the heavy bombardment around Gaza City may have paved a path to its encirclement by Israeli troops.
In northern Gaza’s Jabalya refugee camp, satellite images showed two large craters consistent with Israel’s October 31 bombing, decried by the UN as a “disproportionate attack that could amount to war crimes.” It claimed over 100 lives, according to civilian harm watchdog Airwars, and caused catastrophic damage in the densely populated area.
One Al Jazeera employee lost 19 members of his family in the bombing, which Israel claimed targeted Hamas commander Ibrahim Biari, killing him and destroying his base.
The two craters left behind by the attack, which experts described as “earthquake-like” in its impact, were 24 meters (nearly 79 feet) wide and 13 meters (nearly 43 feet) wide respectively, according to satellite imagery.
Former State Department adviser Lewis said the October 31 Jabalya strike was “something we would never see the US doing.”
“It certainly appears that (Israel’s) tolerance for civilian harm compared to expected operational benefits is significantly different than what we would accept as the US,” Lewis said.
A large crater consistent with a 2,000-pound bomb is seen on the coastal highway that runs through the Al Shati’, or Beach camp. In a neighborhood just north of the camp, 14 craters indicating 2,000-pound bombs appear in one square kilometer.
The Beach camp is one of the first areas in Gaza where Israeli ground troops established a firm foothold. Satellite images of the refugee camp from November 6 showed it to have been all but leveled by bombardment.
“Suddenly, we heard two airstrikes. It was loud. It felt like an earthquake. We saw stones flying everywhere,” said one man to a CNN stringer in the immediate aftermath of an apparent large bomb attack on the Beach camp on November 6. “We came here to see 10 houses struck.”
The lethal fragmentation zone
The 2,000-pound bomb’s large 365-meter (about 1,198-ft) lethal fragmentation radius is evident in many videos reviewed by CNN, where several buildings are seen to have been flattened in a single strike.
On October 24, Israel struck a location less than 100 meters (about 328 ft) away from Wafa Hospital. In an interview with al-Jazeera almost immediately after the strike, the hospital’s director, Fouad Najm, said the attack had “terrified the patients and medics.” The hospital has since gone out of service because of sustained nearby strikes and fuel outages.
It is unclear whether the October 24 blast caused significant damage to the hospital.
CNN geolocated video of the blast and matched it to 12-meter and 15-meter craters, consistent with 2,000-pound bombs, in satellite imagery.
“Clearly the hospital is within the lethal fragmentation range of a 2,000-pound bomb. It would likely have caused damage,” said PAX’s Garlasco.
In one area near Beach camp, seven schools were within the lethal fragmentation zone of at least five craters. Satellite imagery captured on November 6 showed wide-scale destruction in the area. Those satellite images also showed Israeli armored vehicles in and around the schools.
“When you use a weapon so close to a civilian building, it is impossible to remove the chance of damage from the weapon. It is going to get hit by something,” said Garlasco.
On the sixth day of its offensive, the Israeli Air Force said in a tweet that it had dropped 6,000 munitions since the start of the war, averaging 1,000 bombs a day. On December 10, Israel’s military said that it had attacked more than 22,000 targets in Gaza.
CNN’s Kareem Khadder, Abeer Salman and Natasha Bertrand contributed to this report.
Israel Dropped Bombs on Zones It Said Were Safe for Gazans: NYT
Alex Nguyen
Fri, December 22, 2023
Jack Guez/AFP via Getty
During the first six weeks of its war in Gaza, Israel dropped 2,000-pound explosives, including U.S.-made MK-84 bombs, “at least 200 times” on locations in southern Gaza it said were safe for civilians, according to a visual investigation by The New York Times. Weapons experts say these large bombs are no longer used by the U.S. military in densely populated areas, the Times reported. The study applied artificial intelligence technology to review satellite images of southern Gaza and look for impact craters. When the Times raised concerns about bombings in the region to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson, they said the military wing was focused on eliminating Hamas and insisted that “questions of this kind will be looked into at a later stage.” They added that the IDF “takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm.” Although the Pentagon has sent Israel more small bombs it deems as more fit for Israel’s war effort, the Times reported that the U.S. has sent over 5,000 MK-84 bombs to the country since October.
Read it at The New York Times
AI discovered satellite images of craters in Gaza, evidence that Israel is bombing civilian areas it said would be safe: New York Times
Paul Squire
Fri, December 22, 2023
Israel warned Gazans to head south to safety when the war against Hamas broke out.
Israeli forces have since bombed civilian areas in south Gaza, a New York Times investigation found.
The Times' report used AI tools to identify satellite images of craters likely caused by bombs.
A New York Times investigation has revealed Israeli military forces have used massive 2,000-pound bombs to attack southern Gaza — the same area Israel assured Gazan civilians would be safe.
The report from the Times' Visual Investigations team used artificial intelligence tools to study satellite imagery of south Gaza.
The New York Times trained the AI to recognize signs of craters that could have been caused by bombs.
The tool found 1,600 possible bomb craters, according to the Times investigation. Times reporters then manually combed through each possible match, weeding out false positives like water towers or craters left from previous conflicts.
The investigation found evidence that Israel bombed the area it said would be safe for civilians with devastating 2,000-pound bombs at least 200 times.
Business Insider's Jake Epstein previously reported that the 2,000-pound bombs (which Israeli forces used on a "routine basis" at the beginning of the war, according to the Times) are accurate, but their explosive power creates an "extreme" area of effect that poses a risk to civilians.
"When you're talking about a densely populated area like Gaza, there's going to be certain concerns about collateral effects, particularly widespread collateral effects," Marc Garlasco, a former UN war-crimes investigator, told BI.
Garlasco said the pressure from the bomb's blast can kill people as far as 100 feet away, and lethal shards of shrapnel can be flung up to 1,200 feet.
Israel's allies are questioning its methods
Israel has defended its bombing campaign in Gaza, saying it is focused on wiping out Hamas and is taking steps to minimize civilian casualties.
Since ground forces have moved into Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces have shared videos and photos it claims are proof that Hamas is using civilian areas to hide armaments and mask its movements.
"Hamas exploited its own people as shields to conceal their terrorist activity," the IDF wrote on Thursday.
But even Israel's allies are expressing concern over the thousands of lives lost in Gaza since Hamas launched deadly terror attacks on Israel on October 7.
The Biden administration has continued sending bombs to Israel but is now pushing back on Israel's conduct.
During his visit to Israel this week, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorism but urged Israel to make more "concerted efforts to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian aid delivery in Gaza."
The war — and the mounting civilian casualties in Gaza — have ripped open divisions among President Joe Biden's Democratic base. A recent New York Times/Siena College poll suggested that young voters are furious with Biden's response to the war and are even considering voting for GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the UK's Foreign Secretary David Cameron pushed Israel to do more to minimize civilian deaths.
"We want to see a much more surgical, clinical, and targeted approach when it comes to dealing with Hamas," Cameron said.
Gaza death toll surpasses 20,000, health officials say
Lauren Irwin
Fri, December 22, 2023
More than 20,000 people have been killed in Hamas-run Gaza during Israel’s war against the militant group, health officials said Friday.
The death toll in Gaza amounts to nearly 1 percent of the prewar population and is just one measure of how the conflict has devastated the territory, The Associated Press noted. The conflict has displaced nearly 85 percent of Gaza’s population, and many buildings have been demolished.
The war in the Middle East began Oct. 7 after Hamas entered Israel in a surprise attack, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel has vowed to avenge the attack and has relented only slightly in the nearly three months since the onset of the war.
A senior Biden administration official said in early November the death toll was likely far higher than what was reported because of the difficulty in assessing the rate of casualties while the war was ongoing
Israel’s military is expanding its ground campaign, raiding one of the last functioning hospitals in northern Gaza on Tuesday and launching more airstrikes in the south. Just a handful of employees at the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City were left to treat wounded patients, without running water or electricity.
More than half a million people in Gaza, which is a quarter of the population, are starving, the AP recently reported. According to the World Food Program, 9 out of 10 Palestinians are eating less than one meal per day. The continued Israeli attacks, both by air and ground, are posing “major challenges” for humanitarian crews trying to deliver aid and for civilians who are searching for food.
Top U.S. officials have discussed with Israeli officials a transition to more targeted and “surgical operations” in Gaza, appearing to nudge the country to lessen the civilian casualties of its war against Hamas. There is no established timeframe for Israel to wind down its military campaign, but the Biden administration has pushed for efforts as early as January.
Key takeaways from AP report on US-funded projects in Gaza that were damaged or destroyed
The Associated Press
Thu, December 21, 2023
This combination of satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies shows the Gaza Sports Club on Oct. 31, 2023 and on Nov. 1, after it was damaged. Less than a year before a Hamas attack out of Gaza sparked a war, one of the oldest and largest sports complexes in the Palestinian territories got a much-needed overhaul: Brand new basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, a soccer field, a running track and, for the first time, accessible bathrooms. It was a $519,000 upgrade, paid for by U.S. taxpayers.
(Maxar Technologies via AP)More
Since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza following a deadly Hamas attack on Oct. 7, tens of thousands of buildings have been destroyed. Although most major U.S.-funded infrastructure in Gaza has been spared, an AP analysis of satellite imagery has found at least five sites built or expanded with U.S. taxpayer funds appear to have been damaged. Meanwhile, the U.S. government is sending billions of dollars to bolster the Israeli military as it continues its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
1. The U.S. shares coordinates of U.S.-funded infrastructure with Israeli officials.
According to past USAID mission directors for Gaza and the West Bank, USAID works closely with Israeli officials to ensure that U.S.-funded infrastructure is spared during conflicts. Dave Harden, who served as USAID mission director from 2013 to 2016, said he worked “extremely closely” with the Israeli officials. “I would give them the coordinates and tell them not to hit it,” he said.
2. Despite coordination, some U.S.-funded buildings in Gaza have been damaged in the Israel-Hamas war
The Associated Press examined Maxar satellite imagery from before and after the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7 and identified at least five sites built or expanded using taxpayer funds that appear to have been damaged. These sites include a sports complex, a school, a cultural center and two centers for children with disabilities. AP cannot determine the exact cause of the damage. The Israeli Defense Forces would not comment on damage to U.S.-supported structures or provide any information about its targets. Israel blames Hamas for the damage, saying the group uses Gaza’s civilian infrastructure as cover to stage attacks, hide its fighters and weapons and build tunnels underground. It also says that hundreds of misfired Hamas rockets aimed at Israel have instead landed inside Gaza. The AP was unable to reach Palestinian officials in Gaza due to repeated communications disruptions.
3. The U.S. has spent more than $7 billion in development and humanitarian aid in the West Bank and Gaza since establishing a U.S. Agency for International Development Mission 30 years ago.
American taxpayers have funded clean drinking water, new roads, hospital and school improvements and much more since establishing a USAID mission in the Palestinian territories in 1994. Every project the U.S. builds in Gaza and the West Bank is approved by Israeli officials. Over the years, U.S.-supported projects are destroyed during conflicts and then rebuilt with U.S. funds, an effort that is considered both humanitarian and a political message.
Since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza following a deadly Hamas attack on Oct. 7, tens of thousands of buildings have been destroyed. Although most major U.S.-funded infrastructure in Gaza has been spared, an AP analysis of satellite imagery has found at least five sites built or expanded with U.S. taxpayer funds appear to have been damaged. Meanwhile, the U.S. government is sending billions of dollars to bolster the Israeli military as it continues its bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
1. The U.S. shares coordinates of U.S.-funded infrastructure with Israeli officials.
According to past USAID mission directors for Gaza and the West Bank, USAID works closely with Israeli officials to ensure that U.S.-funded infrastructure is spared during conflicts. Dave Harden, who served as USAID mission director from 2013 to 2016, said he worked “extremely closely” with the Israeli officials. “I would give them the coordinates and tell them not to hit it,” he said.
2. Despite coordination, some U.S.-funded buildings in Gaza have been damaged in the Israel-Hamas war
The Associated Press examined Maxar satellite imagery from before and after the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7 and identified at least five sites built or expanded using taxpayer funds that appear to have been damaged. These sites include a sports complex, a school, a cultural center and two centers for children with disabilities. AP cannot determine the exact cause of the damage. The Israeli Defense Forces would not comment on damage to U.S.-supported structures or provide any information about its targets. Israel blames Hamas for the damage, saying the group uses Gaza’s civilian infrastructure as cover to stage attacks, hide its fighters and weapons and build tunnels underground. It also says that hundreds of misfired Hamas rockets aimed at Israel have instead landed inside Gaza. The AP was unable to reach Palestinian officials in Gaza due to repeated communications disruptions.
3. The U.S. has spent more than $7 billion in development and humanitarian aid in the West Bank and Gaza since establishing a U.S. Agency for International Development Mission 30 years ago.
American taxpayers have funded clean drinking water, new roads, hospital and school improvements and much more since establishing a USAID mission in the Palestinian territories in 1994. Every project the U.S. builds in Gaza and the West Bank is approved by Israeli officials. Over the years, U.S.-supported projects are destroyed during conflicts and then rebuilt with U.S. funds, an effort that is considered both humanitarian and a political message.
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