“Satellite companies are restricting Gaza images”, 6 November 2023

Key providers of satellite photographs to news organizations and other researchers have begun to restrict imagery of Gaza after a New York Times report on Israeli tank positions based on the images…

In the early days of the invasion of Ukraine in 2021, commercial satellite companies provided some of the most compelling images and insights into how the conflict was developing on the ground…

But as Israel begins its ground invasion of Gaza, the same satellite imagery providers aren’t being as forthcoming…

Planet, a San Francisco-based company launched in 2010 by former NASA scientists, has in recent days heavily restricted and obscured parts of images over the Gaza Strip for many users, including news organizations…

Two Planet subscribers confirmed to Semafor that between Oct. 30 and Nov. 1, the company did not provide low or medium resolution imagery of the northern area of the Gaza Strip where much of the Israeli military activity seems to be concentrated…

A spokesperson for the company said that while they could not comment on specific users, the company was “working through all of our crisis response processes to try to best support our customers and partners across governments, media, and humanitarian organizations.”