Israel deliberately targeted archaeological sites in Gaza, Palestinian minister says

Israel “deliberately” targeted archaeological sites in Gaza during more than 15 months of war, Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Hani Al-Hayek, said yesterday. He went on to describe Israel’s actions as a genocide.

His remarks came during the closing session of a training workshop in Cairo, organised by the Palestinian Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation (CCHP) in cooperation with the Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation (EHRF), according to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa.

During the workshop, Al-Hayek pointed out that “more than 226 archaeological and historical sites in Gaza have suffered severe damage,” adding that work is underway to develop a comprehensive action plan to rescue and restore the cultural heritage in the region.

He added: “The Israeli occupation deliberately targeted archaeological sites in Gaza, but we are determined to rebuild and restore them. These sites are an important part of the history of the Palestinian people on this land, and it is our duty to return them to their former state.”

On 6 February, French archaeologist Simon Brelaud warned that the Israeli occupation army had destroyed most of Gaza’s historical landmarks, stressing that this “puts the future of archaeology in the region at risk.”

Gaza is an ancient region that has witnessed several civilisations, including the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Canaanite, Phoenician and finally, Islamic.

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