Satellite data show massive bombs dropped in dangerous proximity to Gaza Strip hospitals in 2023

Satellite data on the proximity of hundreds of M-84 bomb craters to hospitals in the Gaza Strip suggest that, as of November 2023, hospitals were not being given special protection from indiscriminate bombing, as mandated by international humanitarian law. That is one finding of a study published in PLOS Global Public Health by Dennis Kunichoff of Harvard University, and colleagues.

On October 7, 2023, Israel launched a major military campaign in the Gaza Strip in response to Hamas militant attacks in Israel. Among the munitions being used are United-States-provided Mark-84 (M-84) bombs, which are air-dropped explosive munitions that shoot more than 1,000 pounds of steel fragments in all directions. M-84s have been shown to cause injury and damage infrastructure up to 800m from the point of detonation.

In the new study, researchers used publicly available geospatial data to identify hospitals in the Gaza Strip and combined it with CNN and New York Times satellite imagery investigations on the number and proximity of M-84 bomb craters which appeared in the Gaza Strip between October 7 and November 17, 2023. In total, the data included 36 hospitals and 592 bomb craters.

Overall, nine hospitals were within 360m of a bomb crater—considered a lethal range—and 30 additional hospitals were within 800m—the range that generally leads to injury and infrastructure damage. Two hospitals had as many as 21 and 23 bomb craters within 800m of their facilities and one hospital had seven bomb craters within 360m. In total, 38 M-84 bombs were found to have been detonated within 800m of hospitals in the Israel-designated evacuation zone.

The authors say that the study was limited by its reliance on satellite information, so cannot be used to deduce actual damage to hospital functioning or casualties. In addition, the data were limited to the six-week time period in late 2023 for which satellite imagery was available and does not reflect the current situation on the ground.

“Given the proximity of these bomb craters to hospital areas, this study reveals concern for indiscriminate bombing in close proximity to hospital infrastructure which is afforded special protection under international humanitarian law,” the authors say.