Abdelraouf Arnaout
22 January 2024•Update: 22 January 2024
JERUSALEM
Hundreds of historical and archaeological sites and artifacts have been destroyed in Israel’s deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip, an Israeli group said Monday.
“We call on the government of Israel to take all possible measures to fulfill its obligations in accordance with international law and to protect cultural heritage sites and cultural properties in Gaza,” Emek Shaveh organization said in a statement.
“We remind all parties that using cultural sites for military purposes can be considered a war crime under international law.”
Gaza contains hundreds of heritage sites, including antiquities sites, historic buildings, museums, cultural centers, archives, monuments and libraries.
The Israeli NGO cited that 60% of heritage sites have suffered extensive damage or have been destroyed in the Israeli war, including key historic sites such as the al-Omari Mosque and the Church of St. Porphyrius.
The statement came after a video showed an official from Israel’s Antiquities Authority (IAA) accompanying Israeli army soldiers to examine a collection of antiquities in Gaza, and appeared to be celebrating the discovery of the site.
“We wish to reiterate that the heritage sites in Gaza belong to the people of Gaza,” the Israeli group said.
“However, the shocking level of devastation of heritage sites in Gaza is not only a terrible loss for the people of Gaza and the Palestinian people but for all people who live in and share this land.”
Last month, Gaza’s government media office said that more than 200 archaeological and heritage sites had been destroyed in Israeli attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7.
Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, killing at least 25,295 Palestinians and injuring 63,000. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar
