Palestinians work to save artifacts from historic Gaza mosque after Israeli attack

Heritage volunteers and municipal teams in central Gaza have launched a campaign to salvage historical artifacts from the landmark Abu Salim Mosque, which was largely destroyed in a recent Israeli airstrike, Anadolu reports.

Working through the rubble in Deir al-Balah, members of the local municipality and the Palestinian Heritage Guardians are recovering carved masonry, decorative marble fragments, and rare books from the site’s damaged library.

The recovered pieces are being transferred to secure storage to safeguard them for future restoration.

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Built in 1951, the 75-year-old mosque blends Ottoman and Egyptian architectural styles, long serving as a cultural and spiritual anchor for the local community.

Since a US-brokered ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, Israeli attacks have killed 1,296 Palestinians and injured 4,296 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed more than 73,000 people and injured over 174,000 others in its genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

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