Gaza's Cultural Heritage Under Threat as Israel Destroys Archaeological Sites
The sites, which date back to various periods of history, include churches, mosques, schools, museums, and cemeteries. Some of the sites were severely damaged, while others were completely wiped out.
The Gaza Media Office said the sites represent the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Gaza, which has been under the rule of several empires and civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Islamic age. The sites also serve as places of worship and education for the local community.
"The ancient and archeological sites destroyed by the army date back to the Phoenician and Roman ages, others date back between 800 BC and 1,400, while others were built 400 years ago," it said in a statement on Friday.
A Geneva-based rights group, Euro-Med Monitor, accused the Israeli regime of "explicitly targeting Palestinian cultural heritage" and deliberately destroying archeological and historical monuments in the Gaza Strip.
Read More:
It called for the protection of Gaza's cultural heritage and the accountability of the perpetrators.
The destruction of the sites is part of the ongoing Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed at least 21,507 Palestinians and injured 55,915, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli attacks have also left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines.
Source: Agencies
