Satellite imagery from that period displayed over 500 impact craters, consistent with those created by 2,000-pound bombs, which are four times heavier than the largest bombs used by the United States in Mosul, Iraq, against ISIS. The extensive use of such heavy munitions in Gaza's densely populated areas has contributed to a significant death toll, with experts suggesting it could take decades for affected communities to recover.
International pressure has mounted on Israel for the scale of devastation in Gaza, with even US President Joe Biden accusing Israel of "indiscriminate bombing." Israeli officials argue that the use of heavy munitions is necessary to eliminate Hamas, which they claim carried out attacks resulting in over 1,200 deaths and 240 hostages on October 7. Israel asserts that it follows international law and takes precautions to minimize civilian harm.
Hamas, in turn, relies on an extensive tunnel network in Gaza, and proponents of Israel's campaign argue that heavy munitions, like the 2,000-pound bombs, serve as bunker busters to target Hamas' underground infrastructure. However, the use of such bombs, particularly in densely populated areas, has raised concerns about civilian casualties and potential violations of international humanitarian law.
The heavy munitions, mostly supplied by the US, can cause high casualty events with a lethal fragmentation radius of up to 365 meters. CNN's partnership with Synthetaic, utilizing Rapid Automatic Image Categorization (RAIC) on satellite imagery, highlights the intensity of the bombardment in a short period.
Over two months, Israel has conducted a high-intensity war in Gaza, combining aerial bombardment, artillery fire, and a ground invasion. The devastation has been extensive, with satellite imagery showing the impact across Gaza. The use of 2,000-pound bombs, which is uncommonly high for Western militaries due to concerns about densely populated areas, has been a distinctive feature of Israel's campaign.
The report details specific incidents, such as the October 31 bombing in Jabalya, northern Gaza, which resulted in large craters and significant civilian harm. The use of 2,000-pound bombs near civilian buildings, including schools and hospitals, has raised questions about the potential for collateral damage and violations of international law.
As of November 6, the death toll in Gaza surpassed 10,000 people, according to the Palestinian health ministry, with a significant number of casualties being women and children. US intelligence sources reported that a considerable percentage of munitions dropped on Gaza were unguided "dumb bombs," posing a greater threat to civilians.
The report concludes with an acknowledgment that the devastation in Gaza involves significant use of bombs manufactured in the United States, raising concerns about the impact of US-supplied munitions on civilian populations.
