In Photos: Tokyo event at Zojoji temple knits a circle of support for Gaza

A year after Israel's military campaign, the Gaza Strip remains a devastated wasteland, with satellite images revealing the systematic destruction of towns and districts. The city of Rafah, once home to a quarter million people, has been erased from the map, reduced to rubble and plowed-over remains. Israel has controlled more than 60% of the territory since the ceasefire, continuing to demolish buildings to prevent their use by Hamas militants.

The UN has reported that the destruction of civilian housing and infrastructure is unprecedented, potentially amounting to a crime against humanity or genocide. Gaza's population, squeezed into about 40% of the territory, continues to suffer under Israeli control, with few jobs and an almost total dependence on international aid.