The Israeli occupation destroys hundreds of archaeological sites in Gaza and steals thousands of artifacts.

The cultural memory of the Gaza Strip has not escaped the Israeli destruction machine that has ravaged all aspects of life for two years. The occupying army has destroyed more than 300 archaeological sites in various areas of the Strip, in a systematic attempt to erase the historical identity of the Palestinians and their deep roots in this land.

During a field tour of several destroyed archaeological sites in the old city of Gaza, it became clear that the deliberate targeting included historical landmarks spanning different eras, while some official entities are trying to begin restoring what remains amid a severe shortage of resources and equipment.

Gaza is not just a geographical space where its people are subjected to killing and displacement; it is a historical land that holds a cultural and civilizational heritage that has also been subjected to systematic Israeli destruction, where archaeological landmarks that have stood for centuries have turned into ruins and ashes.

The Pasha Palace, built during the reign of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars, stands as a testament to the magnitude of the disaster. The occupying army completely destroyed it along with its archaeological artifacts that adorned the halls of its ancient museum.

A responsible official at the Pasha Palace site revealed that before the Israeli invasion, the place housed more than 17,000 archaeological pieces, but the occupying army stole all the contents of the palace, and no piece has been found since its withdrawal from the area.

This is a devastating loss. The official explained that the stolen pieces belong to multiple historical periods, including the Byzantine and Roman eras, various Islamic periods, and even the late Ottoman era, representing a significant loss to the human heritage in the region.

As for the Great Omari Mosque, one of the oldest and most prestigious archaeological mosques in the Strip, it was also subjected to bombing and destruction over two years of Israeli aggression, and the destruction was not limited to its courtyards and facilities alone.

The destruction also extended to the library that housed rare volumes and books within the mosque, in addition to the adjacent Qaisariyah market, which was completely destroyed by the occupation forces, causing the place to lose its historical and cultural significance.

In another location, the features of the ancient Samara bath, dating back to the Ottoman era, have disappeared. It was the last archaeological bath in Gaza, a historical landmark, a medical pilgrimage, and a refuge for the people of the Strip before it was struck by systematic Israeli bombing.

The occupying army did not stop at killing and displacing Palestinians; it sought to destroy their civilizational and historical heritage in an attempt to erase the human identity that proves their deep roots in this land for thousands of years.

This crime against Palestinian heritage constitutes a blatant violation of international laws that prohibit targeting archaeological and cultural sites, at a time when the occupation continues its comprehensive war against everything related to the Palestinian existence.