Israel has now destroyed 33 mosques in Gaza

Israel bombed the Hattin Mosque in Gaza City at dawn this morning, bringing the number of mosques destroyed since 7 October to 33, Al-Aqsa Channel reported on Telegram in a brief statement.

At least three churches have been severely damaged in the same period as Israel continues its bombing of civilian areas and infrastructure. Al-Ihsan Mosque in Jabaliya Al-Balad, in the north of the Gaza Strip, was completely destroyed by Israeli bombs on Monday, said the ministry of the interior and national security.

The first official announcement regarding the Israeli army’s targeting of places of worship was made on 8 October, when the ministry of endowments and religious affairs in Gaza announced the destruction of two mosques and the headquarters of its Holy Qur’an Radio Station.

“We condemn the targeting and bombing of Al-Amin Muhammad Mosque, west of Gaza City, and the Muhammad Al-Habib [Malaysian] Mosque in Khan Yunis Governorate, south of the Gaza Strip,” said the ministry at the time. Destroying civilian infrastructure “not justified by military necessity” is a war crime, one more to add to the growing list of Israeli violations stretching back to 1948.

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