Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was broken in March, Israel's military has demolished thousands of buildings in Gaza, reports BBC.
Satellite images examined by the British media company show that entire cities and suburbs have been razed to the ground. Large parts of the destruction have been caused by planned demolitions, both of already damaged buildings and houses that have largely appeared intact.
Several legal experts who have spoken to BBC believe that Israel may have committed war crimes under the Geneva Convention, which essentially prohibits the destruction of infrastructure by an occupying power.
A spokesperson for Israel's Defense Forces (IDF) says that the actions are in accordance with international law because Hamas hid "military assets" in civilian areas and that destruction of property is only carried out when required for military reasons.
Israel's ultra-nationalist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has previously said that the Gaza Strip will be "completely destroyed" and that its population will eventually be forced out to other countries.
