Geneva: Nearly two-thirds of the buildings in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed since the Gaza war began in October, according to a United Nations report released on Friday.

"UNOSAT's latest damage building assessment, based on satellite imagery, reveals that 151,265 structures have been affected in the Gaza Strip," stated the UN Satellite Centre.

Out of these structures, 30 percent were destroyed, 12 percent were severely damaged, 36 percent were moderately damaged, and 20 percent were possibly damaged, accounting for approximately 63 percent of the total structures in the region.

The assessment compared imagery from May 2023 onward with images from July 6 this year. "The impact on civilian infrastructure is evident, with thousands of homes and essential facilities being damaged," the agency reported.

The conflict was initiated on October 7 when Hamas attacked southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,197 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Militants also took 251 hostages, of whom 111 are still held captive in Gaza, including 39 who are believed to be dead, according to the Israeli military.

Israel's retaliatory campaign against Hamas has led to the deaths of at least 39,480 people in Gaza, as reported by the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilian and militant deaths.

UNOSAT also highlighted the massive amount of debris generated by the conflict, estimating it to be approximately 41.95 million metric tonnes. This figure represents an 83 percent increase from the nearly 23 million tonnes estimated on January 7.

The current conflict has resulted in 14 times more debris than the combined total from all previous conflicts in the Palestinian territory since 2008, according to UNOSAT. The agency estimated that 114 kilograms (250 pounds) of debris were generated for each square meter in the Gaza Strip.

Geneva-based UNOSAT emphasized that its satellite imagery-based analysis aids the humanitarian community in assessing conflict-related damage and shaping emergency relief efforts.