Gaza mosque severely damaged by Israel air strike

An Israeli air strike has severely damaged the Ansar Mosque in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, as Israel’s genocidal war continues unabated in the besieged Palestinian enclave. The adjacent cemetery also sustained damage in the strike.

Footage from the scene shows the mosque with all its walls collapsed, and its columns and central dome heavily damaged but still partially standing. Torn copies of the Qur’an are seen strewn amid the rubble, as residents search through the debris to recover them from beneath the ruins.

The attack is part of a broader pattern of strikes on religious and cultural heritage sites across Gaza since the launch of Israel’s brutal offensive in October 2023. According to Palestinian authorities, at least 828 mosques have been completely destroyed and another 167 partially damaged. Additionally, three churches have been struck, and 19 of Gaza’s 60 cemeteries have been either fully or partially demolished.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, Israel has pursued a devastating onslaught in Gaza since October 2023, killing over 54,400 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave’s population.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.