Scroll Right down to view interactive photogrammetry produced for this story; you possibly can develop each fashions to view them in full display screen mode and discover them for your self.
Based on the Committee to Defend Journalists (CPJ), not less than 165 Palestinian journalists have been killed for the reason that Israel-Hamas struggle started in October 2023. In truth, in accordance with CPJ, final 12 months was the deadliest 12 months for journalists worldwide since they started documenting deaths in 1992.
Gathering aerial footage of Gaza is a harmful job, and Bellingcat together with our companions at Forbidden Tales, Le Monde, Die Zeit, Der Normal, Paper Path Media, Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) and RFI recognized a number of circumstances the place drone journalists have been killed or injured shortly after capturing aerial photos.
The Gaza Mission is a collaborative investigation coordinated by Forbidden Tales, involving greater than 40 journalists representing 12 media shops (Forbidden Tales, Paper Path Media, RFI, Bellingcat, Die Zeit, Le Monde, France 24, ARIJ, The Seventh Eye/Shakuf +972 Journal, ZDF and Der Normal) who continued the work of Gazan journalists and investigated in regards to the threats and difficulties they’re going through.
Israel mentioned early on within the struggle it couldn’t assure security of journalists in Gaza. Hamas has additionally been recognized to make use of drones to focus on Israel Protection Forces (IDF) positions and has used drone footage in propaganda movies. The investigative consortium contacted the IDF in regards to the circumstances talked about on this story, how they decided the drones posed a menace, the IDF guidelines of engagement with drones and the way they outline somebody as a terrorist. The IDF didn’t reply particular questions on particular person circumstances, nor did they supply additional particulars in regards to the two people on this piece, however they did inform us the IDF rejects outright the allegation of systemic assault on journalists.
“The IDF can not deal with operational directives and rules as they’re categorised. Nevertheless, each operational motion or strike is remitted by IDF directives, which instruct commanders to use the fundamental guidelines of the legislation of armed battle,” they mentioned.
The complete price of the struggle nonetheless must be assessed via on the bottom visits, when a everlasting ceasefire is agreed, however within the meantime, satellite tv for pc imagery mixed with drone footage and different imagery captured by journalists in Gaza has been essential to put naked the extent of destruction.
For example, a quick drone video lasting simply over one minute and revealed in January this 12 months by the AFP information company after the first section of the current ceasefire was carried out, exhibits the rubble of scores of hollowed-out properties in Rafah. Some are utterly levelled, others severely broken.
The latest interim injury evaluation compiled by the World Financial institution, European Union and United Nations estimates virtually 300,000 properties have been broken or destroyed throughout Gaza and that 95% of hospitals are non-functional.
So as to proceed the reporting on the extent of harm brought on by the struggle in Gaza, Bellingcat and our companions are sharing satellite tv for pc imagery and utilizing a 3D mannequin approach known as photogrammetry to seize and present the areas the journalists had been filming or have been unable to report on.
Abdallah Al-Hajj: Documenting Al-Shati Refugee Camp
On February 15, 2024, about six months into the battle, the United Nations shared a brief video on social media displaying dozens of hollowed out or partially collapsed buildings situated in Gaza Metropolis’s Al-Shati Refugee Camp. The video begins with a birds-eye view filmed by a drone that exhibits total blocks levelled within the compact neighbourhood.
Over the course of greater than 12 months of battle, Al-Shati Refugee Camp noticed heavy destruction.
The neighbourhood and its environment have been an early goal for IDF floor operations inside Gaza, with the IDF asserting in mid-November 2023 that it had utterly captured the realm. The IDF mentioned it was a important Hamas stronghold. One video geolocated by a Geoconfirmed volunteer exhibits the closely broken coastal aspect of the Al-Shati Refugee Camp a 12 months later. The camp additionally abuts an archeological website to the north that was probably broken by the bottom operation and airstrikes, as beforehand documented by Bellingcat and Forensic Structure.
The pictures shared by UNRWA have been filmed utilizing a drone by Palestinian journalist Abdallah Al-Hajj. 9 days after they have been posted on-line, he was again filming in the identical space when he was critically injured in an Israeli military strike, shedding each his legs.
Earlier photographs taken by Al-Hajj had been shared by UNRWA earlier that month and virtually 300 of his photographs have been included on UNRWA’s movie and photograph archive, with some aerial photographs taken by Al-Hajj as early as 2020. He had beforehand labored as a photojournalist for the Jerusalem-based, Palestinian newspaper Al Quds in addition to different media.
Talking to our companions Forbidden Tales, Al-Hajj mentioned he felt a journalistic duty to proceed filming in Gaza in the course of the struggle however took a number of precautions together with solely filming when clashes have been over and when there was no rapid battle within the neighborhood. On the day he was injured, he mentioned he’d solely filmed with the drone for about 5 minutes and accomplished the filming when he was hit. He informed our companions at Forbidden Tales he wasn’t sporting his press vest as a result of he felt figuring out himself as a journalist put him at better threat.
The IDF beforehand informed Le Monde that it had “eradicated by an IAF plane” a “terrorist cell utilizing a drone, posing an imminent menace to forces within the Shati space.” Apparently the identical strike was referenced on this reporting from February 25.
It’s not clear the place the threatened forces referred to within the IDF assertion have been. It was reported that the IDF performed a two-week-long raid in Al-Shati Refugee Camp in early February nevertheless it was apparently completed by February 15.
Primarily based on SkySat imagery from Planet Labs, IDF autos have been seen earlier within the month on February 8 about 2.5km from Al-Shati Refugee Camp close to Gaza Metropolis’s Islamic College campus. The autos have been gone per week later in February 14 imagery.
Images and movies present that the IDF have been current about 3.5km south of Al-Shati Refugee Camp alongside the Al-Rashid Highway all through the month of February, although it’s not clear in the event that they have been nonetheless current on the location when Al-Hajj was filming.
After the strike, SkySat imagery from Planet Labs exhibits that Al-Hajj’s residence south of Gaza Metropolis within the Zeitoun neighbourhood was destroyed. It was standing in February 24 imagery however in February 28 imagery confirmed that it was gone.
We requested the IDF about Al-Hajj’s case together with asking them to clarify the rapid menace that was posed by the drone, why he was hit and what data that they had about him however they didn’t reply to particular questions on this case.
Al-Hajj informed our companions Forbidden Tales the accusation that he was a part of a terrorist cell or affiliated with Hamas was a “false and unfounded cost.”
Moreover he mentioned he was checked by IDF troops twice after the incident, in Al-Shifa Hospital the place he was admitted and once more when he left the Gaza Strip by way of a Netzarim checkpoint to journey to Qatar for medical therapy. “If I have been Hamas, I might not have gone out of the Gaza Strip for therapy,” he mentioned.
To proceed documenting the modifications in Al-Shati Refugee Camp led to by the struggle, Bellingcat used drone photos offered by Forbidden Tales to create a 3D mannequin of the present state of the realm via photogrammetry, a way that reconstructs objects in 3D by analysing the parallax between a number of photographs.
Forbidden Tales additionally offered drone photos of Jabalia, beforehand probably the most inaccessible areas in Gaza for journalists, which Bellingcat used to create a further 3D mannequin.
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is the science of extracting measurements from images. On this case, photogrammetry is employed to extract massive scale, measured 3D fashions from a dataset of aerial images of Gaza captured by a drone.
Bellingcat processed the 3D fashions of Jabalia Refugee Camp and Al-Shati Refugee Camp utilizing Agisoft Metashape, which requires a paid license. Different open-source applications for photogrammetry embody Meshroom and COLMAP.
The 3D fashions have been created from the drone photographs in 4 steps, although totally different steps could also be relevant to totally different eventualities. First, corresponding options are detected and matched between photos. Then, utilizing the corresponding options, digital camera positions are triangulated utilizing the digital camera parameters (ie. focal size, pixel measurement, lens distortion) and repeatedly adjusted to extend the accuracy of the reconstructed digital camera positions via bundle block adjustment. Subsequent, depth maps are created for every picture utilizing dense stereo matching, which compares photos from related viewpoints to seek out the small variations between them brought on by parallax. These depth maps are used to create a 3D mesh that serves as an correct recreation of Gaza. Lastly, a texture is created by projecting the unique drone photographs onto the mesh in a manner that seamlessly blends them, giving the ultimate results of a photorealistic and dimensionally correct 3D mannequin.
Photogrammetry and the 3D fashions do have some shortcomings – particularly, areas not seen to the digital camera can’t be precisely reconstructed, such because the insides of closely broken buildings which can be hidden by overhanging flooring slabs. Additional, the various distance between the digital camera and the options it captures results in variances within the degree of element within the mannequin, as does the various variety of images of any given characteristic – for instance the slim alleys in Al-Shati Refugee Camp can solely be seen from sure angles within the photogrammetry, which means they aren’t as precisely depicted as extra seen areas such because the courtyards of UNRWA faculties in Jabalia Refugee Camp.
Whereas satellite tv for pc photos may be tough to interpret and are restricted in decision, the 3D fashions produced with photogrammetry permit viewers to position themselves within the surroundings. This strategy offers an unparalleled take a look at the panorama of Gaza after practically eighteen months of struggle, together with buildings diminished to rubble, craters left behind by intense bombing, and hundreds of tents sheltering displaced individuals. An analogous approach has been utilized in different open supply investigations, notably within the recreation of the Mariupol Drama Theatre in Ukraine which was used as a civilian shelter till it was bombed by Russian forces in 2022, in addition to quite a few investigations by Forensic Structure.
Throughout the fashions introduced on this web page, we have now recognized key websites together with faculties, properties and areas broken by preventing.
Mustapha Thuraya: Documenting Al-Nasr Village/Moraj
A few month earlier than Al-Hajj was injured in Al-Shati Refugee Camp, Mustapha Thuraya and his colleague Hamza Al-Dahdouh have been killed in an IDF strike whereas they have been driving in southern Gaza on their manner again from reporting in Al-Nasr Village. Thuraya was a contract video journalist who had filmed for Al Jazeera, AFP, Reuters, and Getty Photos amongst others. He was killed on January 7, 2024 in Al-Nasr Village northeast of Rafah, shortly after filming along with his drone.
Based on reporting by the Washington Submit, Thuraya and Al-Dahdouh arrived on the location about 10:30am, when an airstrike compelled them to depart the realm by automotive. They have been following an ambulance once they have been struck whereas on the highway at roughly 11:10am.
Thuraya started actively protecting the struggle not lengthy after it began, sharing dozens of movies on his social media pages. In many of the movies, his drone controls are seen in his palms as he filmed himself in entrance of scenes of destruction. In a number of the movies he may be seen sporting a press vest, although it’s unclear if he was sporting it on the day he was hit.
The ultimate factor Thuraya filmed along with his drone was the location of an IDF airstrike in southern Gaza that occurred the identical day. The realm he was filming is a rural a part of southern Gaza that sits between Khan Yunis to the north and Rafah to the south. Total, the realm was comparatively untouched by Israeli floor operations, although satellite tv for pc imagery exhibits that the IDF cleared a small space of greenhouses inside 1km of the airstrike location in late July and August 2024. Latest Planet Labs imagery from January 2025 exhibits that a lot of the bigger space continues to be intact, together with nearly all of the greenhouses.
Earlier than and after satellite tv for pc imagery from Planet Labs exhibits the situation the place Mustafa Thuraya and his colleagues have been filming shortly earlier than they left of their car and have been killed whereas on the highway south. The latest imagery exhibits that some greenhouses have been destroyed however in any other case the realm is basically unchanged. Credit score: Planet Labs PBC.
The IDF initially claimed the January 7 strike on Thuraya and Al-Dahdouh’s automotive was in response to drone exercise that posed a menace to IDF troops. They later launched additional reasoning for the strike, stating that Israel’s army intelligence division had confirmed that Dahdouh was a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Thuraya was a member of Hamas, — one thing rejected by each Al Jazeera, which they have been working for on the time — and the journalists’ households.
The Washington Submit, quoting Thuraya’s good friend and fellow journalist Shadi al-Tabatiby, mentioned Thuraya had beforehand labored for round 5 years as a photographer for the Ministry of Spiritual Endowments, a part of Gaza’s Hamas-led authorities. It’s not clear when his employment ended.
Our evaluation discovered the closest potential IDF exercise to the place the strike on Thuraya’s car occurred — clearing exercise that was seen close to a cluster of buildings — was greater than 5km away, one thing that’s seen in Planet SkySat imagery from the day of the strike. An evaluation from The Washington Submit got here to an identical conclusion concerning the IDF presence close to the place Thuraya was filming, though they analysed a smaller space, discovering no proof of IDF army exercise or deployments inside 2km of the location.
The Washington Submit was additionally capable of evaluate the drone footage filmed by Thuraya and located that no IDF “troopers, plane or different army tools” was seen within the footage.
The IDF didn’t reply to the consortium’s particular questions on Thuraya and the circumstances surrounding his killing.
Whereas the realm in southern Gaza that Thuraya was filming earlier than he was killed has remained largely unchanged, Rafah — the place he and Al-Dahdouh have been returning to following the filming — has been decimated.
Drone imagery continues to be harmful to seize within the south, even in the course of the ceasefire. AFP revealed drone footage shortly after the primary section of the ceasefire was agreed, nevertheless it solely coated a small space in Rafah. Excessive decision satellite tv for pc imagery stays considered one of our greatest methods to look at the mass destruction in Rafah. Bellingcat coated this in August final 12 months, however since then extra buildings have been destroyed with total neighborhoods that have been beforehand standing demolished, notably close to the border areas.
Lots of of buildings in each the central Rafah space close to the big market and the Al-Ganinam neighbourhood have been demolished. The few remaining buildings within the Tal as-Sultan neighbourhood we examined within the August investigation have additionally been razed to the bottom.
Bellingcat is sharing the identical satellite tv for pc imagery analyzed in final 12 months’s piece alongside newer Planet imagery captured after the ceasefire on January 30 2025.
Credit score: Planet Labs PBC.
Different Drone Journalists Slain and Photogrammetry of Jabalia
Previous to the ceasefire the Committee to Defend Journalists recognized not less than three different drone journalists who have been killed in IDF strikes, however we have now not been capable of finding additional open supply particulars on circumstances round their deaths.
One space that was tough to movie previous to the current ceasefire as a result of it was too harmful was the Jabalia Refugee Camp and its surrounding space. This was one of many worst affected areas of Gaza, which Bellingcat documented earlier this 12 months.
Bellingcat was capable of create a photogrammetry mannequin of one of many worst hit areas in Jabalia Refugee Camp utilizing drone footage offered by Forbidden Tales which was captured in the course of the current ceasefire.
Ongoing Dangers to Palestinian Journalists in Gaza
On Saturday, March 15, two IDF air strikes within the northern Gaza metropolis of Beit Lahia killed not less than seven folks, together with Mahmoud Samir Isleem Al-Basos also referred to as Mahmoud Al-Basos, a drone journalist who beforehand offered work to Reuters and the Turkish information company Anadolu
Among the many lifeless have been support employees and cameramen on a mission for the London-based Al-Khair Basis who mentioned they have been filming preparations of a Ramadan iftar meal and documenting website preparation for the extension of the camp.
“We have been deeply saddened to be taught that journalist Mahmoud Al-Basos, whose work Reuters revealed up to now few weeks, was killed in Gaza by an Israeli strike whereas on a mission for the Al-Khair Basis. Our ideas are along with his household at this tough time,” a Reuters spokesperson informed us.
Mahmoud Samir Isleem Al-Basos was beforehand employed by Forbidden Tales to movie drone footage for this mission in the course of the current ceasefire. This initiative aimed to proceed the work of drone journalists who had been killed whereas documenting the struggle and assist readers visualise the unprecedented scale of destruction via detailed 3D aerial maps.
The IDF acknowledged the March 15 strikes focused “terrorists,” together with two working a drone, and launched an inventory of names and photographs. The IDF assertion contained misidentifications and names of people the media workplace in Gaza mentioned had not been killed, inflicting confusion.
Mahmoud Samir Isleem Al-Basos was neither named nor pictured within the record revealed by the IDF. As an alternative, the IDF listed one other particular person, with an identical title, describing him as a “Hamas terrorist working beneath journalistic cowl,” and mentioned there was a hyperlink between the drone utilized in Beit Lahia and Islamic Jihad.
Nevertheless, the consortium’s investigations point out the person named by the IDF has no direct hyperlink to Mahmoud Samir Isleem Al-Basos, and was not killed within the strike.
Al-Khair Basis mentioned, in the meantime, they “completely refute” any claims that their staff have been related to militants. They are saying that the members have been intentionally focused whereas on a “purely humanitarian mission.”
We geolocated the 2 strikes in Beit Lahia, and in accordance with our findings, the primary was roughly 2km from the Israeli border and an IDF outpost located close by and the second roughly 3km away, elevating questions in regards to the menace described by the IDF.
Requested twice by the consortium to supply proof to assist the totally different accusations, the IDF refused, stating it “won’t elaborate on the revealed statements”.
The Committee to Defend Journalists have added Mahmoud Samir Isleem Al-Basos to their record of slain journalists.
Totally different Takes on Drones and IDF Response
Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Maurice Hirsch, who served for 19 years within the Israeli military’s authorized corps, informed our companions at Paper Path Media there’s an inherent threat in flying a drone throughout a battle in proximity to preventing forces.
He mentioned if a soldier noticed a drone in a fight zone close to preventing forces, “I definitely wouldn’t assume any wrongdoing if that drone and its operators have been focused (…) it wouldn’t be unreasonable to imagine they have been a part of an enemy power.”
Our companions at Forbidden Tales additionally spoke to IDF reservist Michael Ofer-Ziv who served in the course of the current battle, together with for the primary two months of the struggle within the Israeli army centre of Sde Teiman the place he spent his time observing black-and-white footage filmed from Gaza. His position was to confirm that the IDF wasn’t firing by itself troopers. Ofer-Ziv accomplished his tour in December and has refused to return to service, signing a letter stating that he’s not keen to take part within the struggle.
“At no level throughout this struggle did I obtain an official doc outlining the foundations of engagement. And that’s an issue, as a result of it leaves loads of room for interpretation,” he mentioned.
He didn’t know of the Gazan drone journalists we investigated however mentioned there was an “understanding and a normal vibe within the struggle room” that “in the event you see anybody piloting a drone, and that drone is just not ours, you shoot the drone and the one that makes use of it, no questions requested.”
Requested about journalists utilizing drones he informed Forbidden Tales: “We by no means spoke of it.”
We contacted the IDF as a part of the investigative consortium and requested whether or not they had a particular coverage for coping with drones in Gaza, and in that case how they distinguished civilians from army targets. We requested in regards to the particular person circumstances listed above however weren’t offered any additional particulars. The IDF has beforehand claimed that Thuraya was a member of Hamas, a declare which Al Jazeera and his household deny, and acknowledged they hit a “terrorist cell” goal within the IDF strike that injured Al-Hajj. Al-Hajj says this a “false and unfounded” cost.
The IDF didn’t reply particular questions on particular person circumstances, nor did they supply additional particulars or proof in regards to the incidents outlined above, however they informed us the IDF rejects outright the allegation of systemic assault on journalists.
“The IDF can not deal with operational directives and rules as they’re categorised. Nevertheless, each operational motion or strike is remitted by IDF directives, which instruct commanders to use the fundamental guidelines of the legislation of armed battle (LOAC).”
They reiterated that the IDF is dedicated to rules of distinction, proportionality and precautions and that the IDF solely strikes members of organised armed teams and people straight taking part in hostilities. They informed us a number of the folks listed by Forbidden Tales have been members of Hamas’ army wing and have been due to this fact lawful targets beneath worldwide legislation, however they didn’t present proof to assist this.
Additionally they informed us that “the IDF takes all possible measures to mitigate hurt to civilians, together with journalists. Relating to objects, the IDF solely strikes army objects. The IDF doesn’t intentionally strike civilian objects, together with these affiliated with media shops or belonging to journalists, offered that they aren’t respectable army targets.”
Of their reply, they acknowledged “the incidents have been referred to related mechanisms for additional investigation.” However didn’t verify whether or not the precise circumstances highlighted listed here are being investigated, and didn’t specify which incidents they have been referring to. Additionally they acknowledged that distinctive incidents are topic to lessons-learned processes and are completely examined and addressed accordingly by the suitable enforcement mechanisms, and will lead the related circumstances to command, disciplinary, or felony measures.
Press Freedom Specialists
The Committee to Defend Journalists informed us that drone use for journalism continues to be a comparatively new pattern.
“We encourage journalists typically to do their very own threat assessments relying on their very own scenario on a case by case foundation,” Doja Daoud, CPJ’s Levant Program Coordinator, informed us.
She made clear that: “A journalist shouldn’t be killed and ought to be protected beneath worldwide legislation.”
Daoud mentioned CPJ had documented circumstances the place drone journalists have been killed. And in not less than one case, a journalist had informed them his drone had been disabled or managed remotely.
“So there are different methods to cope with a drone, even in battle areas or in a proximity of Israeli troopers, with out killing a journalist.”
As for IDF claims about journalists being combatants, Daoud mentioned in lots of circumstances, together with that of Mustapha Thuraya, CPJ continues to be but to see any clear proof.
“Israel has repeatedly made related unproven claims with out producing any credible proof. And up to now CPJ has documented a number of circumstances with no proof in any respect that any journalist was engaged in militant exercise.”
“Makes an attempt to smear, delegitimise, and criminalise journalists who’re doing their job are outrageous and irresponsible as they put journalists at additional threat. And concentrating on journalists with disinformation endangers them extra.”
Irene Khan, the United Nations Particular Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Opinion informed us that with no western reporters allowed in, native Palestinian journalists, “are placing their lives on the road in order that we could also be higher knowledgeable on what is going on and in order that the atrocities being carried out there may be uncovered.”
Utilizing drones to indicate what’s taking place has solely elevated that threat, with Khan including that since utilizing industrial drones as a instrument continues to be comparatively new — for each journalists and combatants — and the foundations are much less clear.
“Worldwide humanitarian legislation doesn’t say that you’re not allowed to make use of drones, as a result of it’s a civilian object and there are various civilian objects that may be transformed and used for army functions. However it isn’t flawed as a civilian to make use of it.”
However, Khan says, the onus is on the combatants — the IDF and armed teams in Gaza — to make sure civilians will not be being focused if it’s tough to tell apart the aim of a drone. From a authorized viewpoint, worldwide humanitarian legislation closely favours journalists.
“So the onus is definitely on the combatants to ensure that if we can not distinguish, then we have to do extra to determine whether or not we would, by mistake, kill a civilian, we would kill a journalist.”
“And in all these areas, I believe the requirements that the IDF appear to be making use of are decrease than what I might name due diligence. I believe there was a bent on the aspect of the IDF to imagine that a few of these journalists have hyperlinks with Hamas and due to this fact are respectable targets.”
With such a excessive journalist dying toll all through the struggle, Khan says there must be extra finished to guard journalists sooner or later — together with finishing up unbiased investigations.
“I come again to the problem of impunity. It must be addressed. So each time a journalist is killed, there ought to be a full investigation as to what occurred and to ensure that if there was a mistake made, what are they doing correcting these errors? … And I don’t perceive if the IDF is so certain that they didn’t make a mistake, why are they not permitting others to return in and examine it?”
In one of many circumstances the place the IDF accomplished an investigation into considered one of its strikes on civilians, they mentioned its strikes on a World Central Kitchen support convoy final 12 months was the results of support employees being misidentified as gunmen. A serious and colonel have been dismissed and a brigade commander was formally reprimanded.
Some Palestinian journalists are persevering with to movie with cell phones, cameras and drones, regardless of the dangers.
With the current ceasefire collapse, the danger to journalists working on the bottom is prone to improve once more, closely limiting our view of the impression of the battle on Palestinian communities within the Gaza strip.
Youssr Youssef, Magdalena Hervada, Charlotte Maher and Logan Williams contributed to this report.
Photogrammetry fashions on this piece have been created utilizing Agisoft Metashape and Cesium. Supply Credit score: Forbidden Tales/Stringer. Photogrammetry mannequin: Bellingcat/ Thomas Bordeaux.
Bellingcat want to thank our companions at Forbidden Tales, Die Zeit, Der Normal, Le Monde, RFI, ARIJ and Paper Path Media for collaborating on this mission.
