Gaza has been ravaged by more than one month of non-stop Israeli bombardment that has levelled entire neighbourhoods and delivered death and destruction to the enclave’s 2.3 million residents.
Israel has dropped more than 25,000 tonnes of explosives on the besieged Gaza Strip, which is just 365sq km (141sq miles) in size. That is the equivalent of two nuclear bombs landing on an area a quarter the size of London.
As of November 10, half of Gaza’s homes – 222,000 residential units – have been damaged, with more than 40,000 completely destroyed. While most of the destruction has been centred in northern Gaza, even its south, which Israel had declared a safe zone, has not been spared.
In the following series of countries, it shows what it would look like if the Gaza Strip were to be placed in some of the world’s most well-known cities and where entirely destroyed areas would be. Satellite image analysis of damage covers the period from October 7 to November 5.
Nairobi, Kenya
Kenya’s capital, and one of the most populous cities in East Africa, Nairobi has an area of about 696sq km (269sq miles) – about twice the size of Gaza.
Gaza’s length is the same distance between the Karen Blixen Museum to Kenyatta University’s main campus and its width is the same distance as from Uhuru Gardens to the Nairobi Arboretum.
The Uhuru Gardens would be in the Remal neighbourhood of Gaza City
The Nairobi City Stadium would be in Gaza City
Metropolitan Hospital Nairobi would be in Deir el-Bala
Johannesburg, South Africa
Johannesburg, colloquially known as Joburg, is South Africa’s largest city. On its outskirts is Soweto, short for “South Western Townships”, which was the epicentre of the struggle against racial segregation in the 1980s and 90s. With an urban area of some 3,357sq km (1,296sq miles), the City of Gold is about nine times larger than Gaza.
Gaza’s length would be the distance between Soweto and OR Tambo International Airport, and its width about the distance between Braamfontein and Rosebank.
Soweto would be in Beit Lahiya
Fordsburg would be in the Nuseirat refugee camp
Houghton would be in Deir el-Balah
Bedfordview would be in Khan Younis
Lagos, Nigeria
Nigeria’s economic powerhouse, Lagos has an area of some 1,171sq km (452sq miles), making the coastal city about three times the size of Gaza.
Gaza’s length would be the distance between Suru Alaba Railway Station and Magboro and its width about the distance between Obalende Bridge and the National Theatre Nigeria.
Murtala Muhammed International Airport would be in Deir el-Balah
The National Theatre Nigeria would be located in Khan Younis
Snake Island would be in Rafah
New Delhi, India
The national capital of India, New Delhi covers an area of 1,483sq km (573sq miles), making it about four times the size of Gaza.
Gaza’s length of 41km (25 miles) is about the same distance as from Badarpur to Kundli and its 10km (6-mile) width is the same distance as from Chanakyapuri to Pandav Nagar.
The Red Fort would be along Wadi Gaza
India Gate would be in the Maghazi refugee camp
Jahanpanah City Forest would be in the Khan Younis refugee camp
Tokyo, Japan
Japan’s capital city, Tokyo, translates to mean “Eastern Capital” in Japanese. Its city limits cover an area of 2,194sq km (847sq miles), making it about six times the size of Gaza.
The length of Gaza is equivalent to the distance between the centre of Tokyo to Yokohama, while its width is the distance from Bunkyo City to Sumida City.
Sensoji Temple would be in Gaza City’s al-Tuffah neighbourhood
Tokyo Skytree would be in Gaza City
Haneda Airport would be in Deir el-Balah
EUROPE
Berlin, Germany
Berlin, Germany
Once divided into East and West by the Berlin Wall, the city of some 3.8 million inhabitants covers an area of 892sq km (344sq miles), about twice the size of Gaza.
The Gaza Strip is about the same length as from Kladow to Fredersdorf-Vogelsdorf, and as wide as from Kreuzberg to Gesundbrunnen.
Grunewald Forest would be in Khan Younis
Brandenburg Gate would be in Deir el-Balah
The Berlin Wall Memorial would be in the Deir el-Balah refugee camp
Kyiv, Ukraine
Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv is the country’s most populous city with some 2.9 million inhabitants. Spanning some 839sq km (324sq miles), Kyiv is about twice the size of Gaza.
Gaza is as long as from Irpin to Brovary and as wide as from Pecherski district to Rybalski district.
To put some landmarks in perspective:
The Dnipro River would run through Khan Younis
St Sophia Cathedral would be in the Deir el-Balah refugee camp
Bucha would be in Beit Hanoon
London, United Kingdom
London, the capital city of the United Kingdom, spans an area of 1,572sq km (606sq miles), making it about four times the size of Gaza.
Gaza’s length is about the same distance as from Heathrow Airport to London City Airport. Gaza is about as wide as from Kensington to Brixton.
Heathrow Airport would be in Beit Lahiya
Big Ben would be in Deir el-Balah
Greenwich would be in Khan Younis
Big Ben would be in Deir el-Balah
Greenwich would be in Khan Younis
Paris, France
The home of love, art and culture, Paris spans an area 105sq km (41sq miles), making it about a third of the size of the Gaza Strip.
Gaza’s length is about the same distance as from the Eiffel Tower to Disneyland Paris and is about as wide as from Arc de Triomphe to Parc Leon Salagnac.
The Eiffel Tower would be located in Beit Hanoon, North Gaza
The Louvre Museum would be in the Jabalia refugee camp
Disneyland Paris would be located in Rafah
Rome, Italy
The ancient city, which is more than 2,700 years old, spans an area of around 1,285sq km (496sq miles), making it 3.5 times the size of Gaza.
Gaza’s entire length would fit in the distance between Fiumicino Airport and Tivoli Terme and its width would be from Trevi Fountain to Rome Urbe Airport.
The Colosseum would be along Wadi Gaza
Vatican City would be in the Nuseirat refugee camp
Fiumicino Airport would be in Rafah
MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
Casablanca, Morocco
Morocco’s largest city, Casablanca is a port city with a bustling tourism industry. The city covers an area of 384sq km (148sq miles), making it slightly larger than Gaza.
The 41km (25-mile) length of Gaza is about the same distance from Soualem to Ain Harrouda and its width is about the same distance as from the Hassan II Mosque to Hey El Farah.
Medina Market would be in Gaza City
Tamaris Aquaparc would be in Khan Younis
Casablanca Tit Mellil Airport would be in Beit Hanoon
Doha, Qatar
Qatar has been a key player in mediations between Hamas and Israel. The Gulf state’s capital city, Doha, is 132sq km (51sq miles), about 40 percent of the size of Gaza.
The length of Gaza is about the same distance from Al Wakra to Umm Salal Muhammed and as wide as from West Bay to the Doha Expressway.
Doha Festival City would be around al-Shifa Hospital
Qatar Grand State Mosque would be in the Maghazi refugee camp
Hamad International Airport would be in Khan Younis
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Known for its soaring skyscrapers that touch the clouds, Dubai covers an area of about 1,600sq km (617sq miles), making it about four times the size of Gaza.
Gaza’s entire length would fit in between Dubai International Airport and Dubai Investments Park and its width would be from Jumeirah Mosque to Zabeel Palace.
Dubai International Airport would be in Beit Hanoon, North Gaza
Burj Khalifa would be in the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City
Dubai Investments Park would be in Rafah
Istanbul, Turkey
The only city in the world that connects two continents, Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city and is home to more than 15 million people. Its urban area spans 2,576sq km (995sq miles), making it about seven times the size of Gaza.
The 41km (25-mile) length of Gaza would fit in between Kucukcekmece and Nisantepe and the 10km (6-mile) width between Taksim Square and Yenikapi.
Florya Ataturk Forest would be near Beit Lahiya
Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque would be in Nuseirat refugee camp
Camlica Tower would be in Deir el-Balah
INTERACTIVE – If Gaza was your city – Istanbul-1699868128
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s capital and largest city, Riyadh covers an area of 1,973sq km (761sq miles), making it five times the size of Gaza.
Gaza’s 41km (25-mile) length would be the distance between al-Yamam
