April 19, 2024
The ongoing Israeli onslaught on Gaza has decimated nearly 32 cultural institutions, both partially and entirely, the Palestinian Ministry of Culture revealed on World Heritage Day, marked on Thursday, April 18th.
The Ministry further disclosed that the war has obliterated 12 museums, vandalized approximately 2,100 ancient garments, and desecrated embroidery from museum artifacts and personal collections.
The ongoing war has also led to the destruction of around 195 historic buildings, predominantly in Gaza City, including cultural hubs and community establishments.
Additionally, 9 heritage sites and 10 historic mosques and churches, integral to the region’s collective memory, have suffered damages, the statement added.
Condemning the crimes committed by the occupation forces, the Ministry of Culture urged international organizations to safeguard Palestinian cultural heritage.
It also called for the enforcement of legal mechanisms compelling the Israeli occupation to comply with international conventions protecting cultural and natural heritage.
Prominent among the historical landmarks ravaged by the war are Al-Omari Mosque in Jabalia to the north, the Byzantine Church of Jabalia, Sheikh Sha’ban Mosque, and Al-Zafar Damri Mosque in Al-Shujaiya area of Gaza City.
Also targeted were Al-Khidr Shrine in Deir Al-Balah and Khalil Al-Rahman Mosque in Khan Younis, along with the Manuscripts Center.
The destruction of Al-Omari Mosque, Gaza City’s most renowned historic site dating back to the seventh century, stands as a poignant symbol of the cultural devastation wrought by the conflict.
In its scathing statement, the Ministry of Culture denounced the targeting of cultural centers as a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, notably the International Convention on the Prevention of Genocide and the prosecution of its perpetrators.
Reiterating its plea, the Ministry urged UNESCO and relevant organizations to establish a UN committee to investigate the legal and humanitarian violations inflicted upon Palestinian cultural heritage.
The Ministry emphasized that the obliteration and loss of this heritage constitutes a grievous loss to humanity at large.
Despite international calls for a halt to the Israeli occupation’s aggressive war on Gaza, and the International Court of Justice’s scrutiny over genocide allegations, the onslaught persists, targeting the civilian population and essential infrastructure, in defiance of a Security Council resolution urging an immediate ceasefire.
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