Israel is rapidly expanding military fortifications across Gaza while civilian reconstruction has ground to a halt, according to a satellite imagery investigation by Al Jazeera's Digital Investigations Unit, raising fresh doubts about the viability of US-backed plans to rebuild the devastated territory.
An examination of Planet Labs and Sentinel Hub satellite imagery revealed that Israeli military fortifications are expanding at a relentless pace across Gaza, particularly in Rafah, while rubble removal has essentially ceased in Beit Hanoon in the north and Rafah in the south.
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Satellite imagery from March 10 shows extensive clearing and fortification at the strategic al-Muntar hilltop in Shujayea, a neighbourhood in Gaza City, and outposts in Khan Younis in Gaza's south.
In central Gaza, imagery from March 15 revealed ongoing work on a trench and dirt berm reaching as far as the Maghazi camp near Deir el-Balah. In Juhor ad-Dik, new roads now link established military sites to newly levelled areas, suggesting the creation of permanent outposts.
The findings align with a late 2025 investigation by Forensic Architecture that identified 48 Israeli military sites within Gaza, 13 of which were built after an October "ceasefire." These sites have evolved into permanent bases with paved roads, watchtowers and constant communication links to Israel's domestic military network.
The satellite evidence directly contradicts US reconstruction ambitions for the territory. At the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, Jared Kushner showcased AI-generated visions of a "New Rafah" featuring skyscrapers and luxury resorts, while Trump promoted a "Middle East Riviera" through a 20-point plan promising $10bn in funding.
But satellite images taken between February 20 and March 4 show no new construction or rubble clearance at the proposed site, according to Al Jazeera.
Gaza's ceasefire boundary is also being redrawn on the ground. In Beit Lahiya, satellite images from March 4 show the construction of a dirt berm along the "yellow line" which is the ceasefire boundary and another running parallel to it and constructed more than 580 metres into what the ceasefire designates as land where Palestinians are supposed to live.
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Al Jazeera's investigation further found that Israel has secretly moved concrete boundary markers hundreds of metres deeper into Palestinian-designated areas.
Despite the October ceasefire, Gaza's Ministry of Health reported 750 deaths and more than 2,090 injuries since it began, bringing the total death toll since October 2023 to more than 72,300, reports said. Al Jazeera found that Israel has launched attacks on 160 out of the 182 days of the ceasefire.
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