'200 out of 325 heritage sites in Gaza destroyed by Israeli Occupation': official

The Gaza government's media office reported that the Israeli Occupation army targeted and destroyed over 200 archaeological and heritage sites out of 325 in the Gaza Strip.

The destruction included ancient mosques, churches, schools, museums, and historic houses, representing a failed attempt to erase Palestinian cultural and heritage presence.

Among the prominent sites destroyed are the Byzantine Church of Jabalia, Al-Omari Mosque, Sheikh Shaaban Mosque, Al-Dhafar Damri Mosque, Al-Khader Shrine, Balakhiya Site, Mosque Khalil al-Rahman, Center for Ancient Manuscripts and Documents, Church of Saint Porphyrius, and the ancient Saqqa House.

The targeted sites dated back to various periods, including the Phoenician, Roman, 800 BC, 1,400 years, and 400 years, emphasizing the Palestinian right to the land.

The destruction of heritage sites was deemed a clear international crime under international laws, including the 1954 Hague Convention and its Second Protocol, prohibiting deliberate targeting of cultural and religious sites.

The Gaza government urged international condemnation and intervention to stop this crime and rehabilitate the destroyed sites.