By Micah Jonah
January 26, 2026
Satellite imagery has revealed that the Israeli army is actively flattening the remains of homes in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoon despite a ceasefire that has been in place since October 2025.
The analysis conducted by Al Jazeera’s digital investigations unit Sanad compared images taken between October 8, 2025, two days before the ceasefire, and January 8, 2026. The findings show that Israel has used bulldozers to clear roughly 408,000 square metres of land including the remains of at least 329 homes and agricultural sites destroyed during the two-year conflict in Gaza.
Earlier images depicted a Beit Hanoon with damaged but partially intact buildings, but by mid-December 2025 the majority of structures had been completely razed leaving a flattened brown landscape. Rubble-removal operations began near the fence separating Beit Hanoon from Israeli settlements including Sderot, located approximately 2 kilometres away.
According to the United Nations, northern Gaza has suffered extensive damage with around 81 per cent of structures destroyed as of October 2025. The Israeli far right has publicly declared ambitions for Jewish settlement in Gaza, and in December 2024 officials reportedly indicated that more than 800 families were ready to move into areas including Beit Hanoon and Beit Lahiya.
In December 2025, Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz announced plans to establish agricultural-military outposts called Nava Nahal in northern Gaza, combining farming with armed presence to consolidate control. Critics argue that the campaign aims to create a security perimeter and prepare for eventual occupation of Gaza territory.
United Nations Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese described the operation as an attempt to destroy Gaza, displace Palestinians, attempt to reoccupy, conquer the land.
Since the ceasefire, Israel has reportedly violated the agreement over 1,300 times including attacks on civilians and bombardment of Gaza.
