Forensic Architecture

I.101  ‘No traces of life’: Israel’s Ecocide in Gaza 2023-2024

Date of Incident
07 Oct 2023 – Ongoing
Location
Gaza
Forums
Legal Process, Media
Commissioned By
Self-Initiated
Summary
Since October 2023, the Israeli military has systematically targeted agricultural land and infrastructure in Gaza. Marking the occasion of Land Day in Palestine, our investigation reveals that the widespread destruction of orchards and greenhouses in Gaza is a deliberate act of ecocide that supports Israel’s genocidal campaign.

I.80  The Shelling of Khudair Warehouse: Chemical Warfare by Indirect Means

Date of Incident
15 May 2021
Location
Gaza, Palestine
Forums
Legal Process, Media
In Partnership With
Al-Haq
Summary
Marking the launch of Al-Haq’s Forensic Architecture Investigation Unit based in Ramallah, we examined the circumstances of the 15 May 2021 Israeli bombing of the Khudair Pharmaceuticals and Agricultural Tools Company in Beit Lahiya—the largest agricultural chemical warehouse in Gaza—as part of the environmental disaster imposed on Palestinians.

I.43  Triple-Chaser

Date of Incident
26 Nov 2018
Location
Tijuana-San Diego border, US/Mexico; Gaza, Palestine; and around the world
Forums
Exhibition, Media
In Partnership With
Praxis Films
Summary
When US border agents fired tear gas grenades at civilians, including children, photographs linked the grenades to the Safariland Group, which is owned by Warren B. Kanders, the vice chair of the board of trustees of the Whitney Museum of American Art. In response to our invitation to the Whitney Biennial 2019, we developed machine learning classifiers to search for Safariland munitions online.

I.41  Chemical Attacks in Al Lataminah

Date of Incident
30 Mar 2017
Location
Al Lataminah, Syria
Forums
Media
Commissioned By
Bellingcat
Summary
When the Syrian regime was accused of chemical weapons attacks, Russia's foreign ministry held a press conference to defend their allies. But the information presented there gave away important clues that Syria had indeed been responsible. Building on the work of Bellingcat, we built a digital model of the M4000 chemical bomb in which to bring together those physical clues.

I.34  Chemical Attacks in Douma

Date of Incident
07 Apr 2018
Location
Douma, Syria
Forums
Media
Commissioned By
The New York Times
Summary
Allegations of chemical attacks lead inevitably to conflict and discord on social media, and competing claims from reporters and politicians around the world. Working with the New York Times, we developed innovative new techniques to help cut through the confusion with material facts.

I.23  Chemical Attack in Khan Sheikhoun

Date of Incident
04 Apr 2017
Location
Khan Sheikhoun, Syria
Forums
Human Rights Report, Media
Commissioned By
Human Rights Watch
Summary
The truth of an apparent chemical attack in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun quickly became obscured behind allegations and counter-allegations. With Human Rights Watch, we investigated what the precise dimensions of the impact crater could tell us about the munition that had caused it.

I.3  The Use of White Phosphorus in Urban Environments

Date of Incident
27 Dec 2008 – 18 Jan 2009
Location
Gaza, Occupied Palestinian Territories
Forums
United Nations
Commissioned By
Yesh Gvul, Michael Sfard Law Office
Summary
The 2008–2009 conflict saw the use by Israeli forces of white phosphorus, a toxic, flammable and corrosive airborne munition. We analysed the use and effects of the weapon in support of calls to make its use illegal, and presented our report to a 2012 UN convention.