DaysofPal- The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor has warned that ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza City are threatening to completely destroy the city’s archaeological and cultural heritage, part of a broader campaign of displacement and destruction.
The organization highlighted that repeated and systematic bombardments have targeted historic neighborhoods, religious sites, libraries, museums, archives, cemeteries, traditional homes, and old markets, putting both tangible and intangible Palestinian heritage at risk.
“These attacks are not only aimed at civilians but also seek to erase the material and spiritual symbols of the Palestinian people,” the monitor said, describing the situation as part of a deliberate policy to depopulate the city and forcibly displace its residents.
According to the monitor, UNESCO documented 110 damaged sites in Gaza as of August 18, 2025, including 13 religious sites, 77 historically significant buildings, 3 cultural property warehouses, 9 archaeological monuments, 1 museum, and 7 additional archaeological locations.
Key sites affected include the Great Omari Mosque, St. Porphyrius Church, Gaza’s ancient port (Anthedon), Beit Al-Saqa, and Tel Umm Amer (St. Hilarion Monastery).
The monitor emphasized that these attacks constitute a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, specifically the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property. The destruction is considered a war crime under the Rome Statute and a central aspect of the ongoing genocide against Palestinians.
The Euro-Med Monitor called for urgent international action to protect Gaza’s cultural heritage, including UNESCO intervention, ICC investigation, and sanctions against Israel, warning that continued destruction would erase Palestinian identity and sever ties with their civilizational roots.
The organization also urged the international community to address the root causes of Palestinian suffering, end the occupation, lift the blockade of Gaza, and ensure the rights of victims to compensation and justice.
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