Palestinian tourism ministry says Israeli offensive destroyed hundreds of heritage sites and tourism facilities in Gaza

The Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip caused the full or partial destruction of 264 archaeological sites and 4,992 tourism facilities.

Ministry spokesperson Ghaith Qumsieh said that despite the scale of destruction, the ministry succeeded in registering the Saint Hilarion site in Gaza on UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger.

He explained that the damage to tourism facilities included 3,450 restaurants and beverage outlets, 921 arts and entertainment venues, 182 handicrafts and souvenir shops, and 173 hotels and accommodation-related businesses.

Qumsieh also reported the loss of 15,265 jobs in Gaza alone, including 10,887 jobs in restaurants, 2,277 in arts and entertainment, and 964 in hotels and accommodation facilities.

He added that around 21,436 workers receive direct wages in the tourism sector in the West Bank and Jerusalem, while the total number of workers across Palestine, including Gaza and unregistered facilities, is estimated at about 38,000. The average monthly wage, he added, is around 476 US dollars, with total monthly wage costs estimated at 18 million dollars. As a result, wage losses over two years are estimated at no less than 432 million US dollars.

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