OCHA OPT, UNOSAT Team Up for Gaza Aid Using Space Tech

The increase in disaster occurrences and the high numbers of victims resulting from conflicts are urgent issues that require effective and rapid action. Satellite imagery analysis is a vital tool essential in this response, as it can cover large areas and provide accurate information in near real-time.

UNOSAT's Emergency Mapping Service[1] (EMS), funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA), provides satellite image analysis during humanitarian emergencies related to disasters, complex emergencies and conflict situations. With a 24/7 year-round availability to process requests, the team of experienced analysts ensure timely and tailored delivery of satellite imagery-derived maps (both web and static maps), reports and data ready for direct inclusion in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for evidence-based decision-making and operational planning.

1. Enhanced evidence-based decision making: UNOSAT's Comprehensive Damage Assessment provided OCHA OPT with detailed reports on destruction at governorate and municipality levels, including the status of critical structures and lifeline facilities. This granular data enabled OCHA to make informed decisions about resource allocation. Abuqubu explained, "If the level of destruction is over 60 or 70 per cent, we could easily assume that 60 per cent of those people have already left. If not, most of those people." This precise information allowed OCHA to prioritize areas with the highest needs effectively.

   UNOSAT's night light analysis offered crucial insights into power supply loss and population movements. Abuqubu noted,

   "The night light analysis, at the beginning of the crisis, gave us a good indication where people have moved [...] It gave us an indication about the provision of electricity and services."

2. Improved coordination and planning: UNOSAT's analysis of affected road sections was instrumental in OCHA OPT's field visit preparations. Abuqubu detailed, "UNOSAT has helped us in identifying the best routes and where the rubble is blocking roads. We were trying to send humanitarian convoys from the southern part of the city where the services were functional and most of the humanitarian organizations were based to the north - Gaza and north Gaza Governorates."

   This information enabled OCHA to recommend optimal routes for medical evacuations and delivery of supplies. A notable example was the successful evacuation of 39 newborn children from incubators to Arish Hospital outside Gaza.

   UNOSAT's timely imagery and analysis also provided assessments of new crossings and newly established military roads and checkpoints. Abuqubu noted, "We were able to show the new entry points and the logistical facility using satellite images."The temporal analysis of humanitarian aid channels, particularly monitoring the construction of a floating pier, provided OCHA with crucial information for planning and coordinating aid delivery.

3. Targeted Resource Allocation and Strategic Planning: UNOSAT's analysis was used as one of the credible sources of information to inform the flash appeal on critical needs and the level of destruction" Escalation of Hostilities in the OPT Flash Appeal 2023-2024".[1] This plan outlines the estimated resource requirements to reduce human suffering and prevent further loss of life in Gaza and the West Bank. According to the Appeal Plan, around 3.1 million people in Gaza are in need in 2024, with plans to assist 2.9 million people, requiring a budget of 3.4 billion USD.

   As of the latest update[2][AS1], 35 per cent of the Plan is funded, amounting to 1.2 billion USD. This funding comes from various donors, with the Government of the United Arab Emirates, the European Commission, the Government of Germany, Government of Japan, collectively contributing 44 per cent of the funding received. The plan encompasses multiple sectors including education, food security, health, nutrition, protection, water sanitation and hygiene, among others, ensuring a holistic approach to addressing the crisis.

4. Reinforced synergies and coordination among humanitarian actors: To enhance coordination, a centralized data hub for Information Management (IM) officers was created to share information with the cluster coordinators, information managers, and the civil-military coordination team to access the data provided by UNOSAT. Abuqubu highlighted " We have a provision of services map [...]on food, health, IDPs sites, and lifeline facilities level of destruction and functionality."

   The " UNOSAT Gaza Emergency Response Data Hub"[3], is a comprehensive platform offering interactive web portals and dashboards showcasing geospatial data and analysis for the Gaza Strip. This portal allows users to download and interact with UNOSAT's geospatial data for Gaza, including interactive dashboards displaying damage assessments and comparing high-resolution satellite images captured on different dates against specific locations or critical facilities such as medical facilities or telecommunication towers.

   This data hub served as a common reference point for various humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza, fostering better coordination, and leading to a more coherent and efficient overall response.

5. Enhanced awareness of satellite imagery's value: The collaboration demonstrated the power of geospatial technology in humanitarian response, especially in complex emergencies where traditional methods fall short. Abuqubu concluded, "I couldn't imagine myself delivering and doing what I have done for the Gaza operation without having UNOSAT. I think this is a new era or new type of emergencies where the satellite damage analysis proved to be valuable and indispensable in such a situation."

   This increased awareness extended beyond OCHA to other UN agencies and NGOs involved in the Gaza response, leading to a growing recognition of the value of satellite imagery in crisis response.

6. Increased protection and human rights monitoring: The detailed damage assessments and analysis of military checkpoints contributed to human rights monitoring efforts, offering objective evidence of the conflict's impact on civilian infrastructures for use by human rights organizations and UN bodies in their reporting, investigative and advocacy work.

   The satellite imagery-based analysis provided by UNOSAT was critical to OCHA-OPT humanitarian coordination in the field. They provided accurate, timely, actionable data which allowed them to respond more effectively to the needs of the affected population in Gaza. This collaboration exemplifies the crucial role of innovative geospatial technologies in modern humanitarian efforts, particularly in complex emergencies where access to the ground is impossible.

1. United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT). (n.d.). UNOSAT's Emergency Mapping Service (EMS). Retrieved from https://unosat.org/services/
2. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). (2024, April 17). Flash appeal: Occupied Palestinian Territory, April - December 2024. Retrieved from https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/flash-appeal-occupied-palestinian-territory-april-december-2024
3. United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT). (n.d.). UNOSAT Gaza Emergency Response Data Hub [Data portal]. Retrieved from https://gaza-unosat.hub.arcgis.com/