Satellite images reveal how Israeli forces have erased Gaza's towns, stadiums and streets from the map after three years of war

From the Newshound archive · first published 9 October 2026 · last updated 10 October 2026.

Three years of bombardment have physically rewritten Gaza's geography, with satellite imagery confirming the wholesale destruction of towns, football stadiums, historic neighbourhoods and the everyday landmarks that residents used to navigate their lives. The Palestine Olympic Committee reports more than 1,000 people from Gaza's sporting community have been killed, with 70 per cent of sports facilities destroyed and the remainder damaged. Israel says it does not deliberately target civilian or sports infrastructure, stating any struck site would have been hit due to military activity in or around it.

Al Helal Football Academy, whose under-16s visited Ireland a decade ago and flew the Irish flag over their astroturf pitch, has been reduced to sand and rubble.