JERUSALEM (AP) - The ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza has been deemed one of the deadliest and most destructive in history, according to experts. The campaign, which has lasted just over two months, has caused more devastation than the destruction of Syria's Aleppo between 2012 and 2016 and Ukraine's Mariupol. The offensive has also resulted in more civilian deaths than the U.S.-led coalition's three-year campaign against the Islamic State group.

The Israeli military has been tight-lipped about the types of bombs and artillery used in Gaza. However, through the analysis of blast fragments found on-site and strike footage, experts have confidently concluded that the majority of the bombs dropped are of U.S. origin, including 2,000-pound "bunker-busters" that have claimed hundreds of lives in densely populated areas.

As the Palestinian death toll in Gaza approaches 20,000, the international community is calling for an immediate cease-fire. Israel, on the other hand, remains steadfast in its determination to destroy Hamas' military capabilities following the group's cross-border attack on October 7, which resulted in the death of 1,200 people and the taking of 240 hostages.

Recent analysis of Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite data by Corey Scher of the CUNY Graduate Center and Jamon Van Den Hoek of Oregon State University has revealed that Israel's offensive has decimated over two-thirds of structures in northern Gaza and a quarter of buildings in the southern region of Khan Younis. In fact, the percentage of damaged buildings in Khan Younis nearly doubled within the first two weeks of Israel's southern offensive.

Among the structures destroyed are tens of thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, mosques, and stores. U.N. monitors have reported that approximately 70% of school buildings across Gaza have sustained damage, with 56 of them serving as shelters for displaced civilians. Additionally, 110 mosques and three churches have been damaged in Israeli strikes, according to the monitors.

Israel has contended that Hamas bears responsibility for civilian deaths due to their practice of embedding militants within civilian infrastructure. These sites often serve as shelters for Palestinians fleeing under Israeli evacuation orders.

"There is a stark contrast when looking at Gaza from space; it has changed in color and texture," stated Corey Scher, who, alongside Jamon Van Den Hoek, has mapped destruction in various war zones, including Aleppo and Mariupol.

Comparatively, the destruction witnessed in Gaza has exceeded that of Allied bombings on German cities during World War II. Between 1942 and 1945, the Allies targeted 51 major German cities and towns, resulting in the destruction of approximately 40-50% of their urban areas. This amounted to about 10% of buildings across Germany, while in Gaza, over 33% of buildings have been destroyed in the densely populated territory that spans just 140 square miles (360 square kilometers), according to U.S. military historian Robert Pape.

The mounting destruction and loss of civilian life in Gaza have raised concerns globally, prompting urgent calls for a cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution to the conflict.