Satellite photos of Gaza restricted by imaging companies as ground op continues
Report suggests policy due to security concerns over detailed images providing location of Israeli tanks and troops inside the Strip
Satellite photographs of the Gaza Strip that are regularly provided to news organizations and researchers have reportedly been restricted in recent days, due to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Semafor reported Monday that satellite images from Gaza have been restricted, potentially due to security concerns after images revealed crucial information about Israeli positions inside the Gaza Strip.
Israel launched its ground operation inside Gaza on Friday, October 28, after three weeks of heavy airstrikes against Hamas following the terror group’s massacre inside Israel.
On October 7, Some 3,000 terrorists burst through the Gaza border into southern Israel, murdering 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and capturing at least 240 hostages of all ages, under the cover of thousands of rockets.
In response to the attack, the deadliest in the country’s history, Israel vowed to destroy Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007.
As the ground operation continues to develop and expand, Semafor reported that satellite image company Planet Labs, as well as its competitors, have heavily restricted and obscured images coming out of the Gaza Strip.
Planet Labs is a US-based public Earth imaging company founded with the goal of providing daily satellite data “that helps businesses, governments, researchers, and journalists understand the physical world and take action,” as stated on the company’s website.
According to the report, some of the recent images of the Gaza Strip were removed from the downloadable gallery on the Planet Labs website and were instead distributed to select media outlets via Google Drive.
The company also reportedly told subscribers that during active conflicts, some archival images may be modified, something that Semafor said it had confirmed by speaking to active subscribers.
According to the report, subscribers have been unable to gain access to high-resolution images of Gaza since October 22. At the same time, both Planet Labs and other satellite imaging companies have continued to provide news organizations with images of the blockaded enclave, albeit with a significant time delay.
The delay could be seen in an article published on November 5 by The Washington Post featuring images of Israel’s progress inside Gaza on November 3. On November 4, the Guardian shared images captured on October 30.
While commercial satellite companies have declined to say why they are releasing images after a long delay, or choosing not to release them at all, Semafor suggested that the decision may be due to security concerns.
According to the report, US security officials are concerned about the high level of detail that the images provide, citing a New York Times article from October 19 that included images showing Israeli tank positions in Northern Gaza, where the bulk of the fighting has occurred.
Israel has struck more than 11,500 terror targets inside Gaza since October 7. On Monday morning, the IDF announced that ground troops had captured a Hamas stronghold overnight, killing several Hamas operatives who were inside it at the time.
