According to an investigation by Al Jazeera’s Sanad unit, demolition operations in southern Gaza’s Rafah Governorate have sharply escalated in recent months as part of the controversial relocation effort.
Satellite imagery reviewed by Sanad and data from the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) show the number of destroyed buildings in Rafah rose from 15,800 on April 4 to 28,600 by July 4 — a surge of 12,800 demolitions in three months.
The demolition spike aligns with Israel’s expanded military push into Rafah, launched in late March, and a defence ministry plan to transfer 600,000 residents into areas critics have likened to “concentration camps,” with possible expansion to the entire population of Gaza.
A view shows beams of light in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border on July 13, 2025. — Reuters
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Ceasefire talks
US President Donald Trump said that discussions are ongoing over the conflict in Gaza and expressed hope for progress in the coming week, despite stalled ceasefire talks in Doha.
A view shows beams of light in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border on July 13, 2025. — Reuters
“Gaza — we are talking and hopefully we’re going to get that straightened out over the next week,” Trump told reporters, reiterating comments he made on July 4.
Gaza — we are talking and hopefully we’re going to get that straightened out over the next week
US President
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Meanwhile, The New York Times on Sunday rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s dismissal of its report claiming he extended the Gaza war to retain political power, stating his office “does not refute the facts”.
Read more: At least 60 Palestinians killed, 180 wounded in Israeli strikes today
Smoke rises following an explosion in Gaza, as seen from the Israeli side of the Israel-Gaza border on July 13, 2025. — Reuters
The investigation, published Friday, drew on over 110 interviews and internal documents, alleging Netanyahu delayed a ceasefire and blocked a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal to appease far-right allies and maintain his coalition.
In a statement, Netanyahu’s office called the report a “rehash of long discredited claims”. In response, a Times spokesperson defended the reporting, saying it “shows in detail how prolonging the Gaza war helped Mr Netanyahu to stay in power”.