Palestinian archaeologists race against time to save Gaza’s heritage
Enas Abu Ghayad reports in Al Jazeera on 30 September 2026:
Alongside Israel’s genocide in Gaza, there has been an apparent attempt to erase the Palestinian enclave’s cultural heritage. At least 164 cultural sites in Gaza have been damaged since Israeli military operations began in October 2023 and March 2026, according to UNESCO.
Among the ancient landmarks affected in waves of Israeli bombing are the Great Omari Mosque and Hamam al-Sammara, Qasr al-Basha in Gaza’s Old City, and the al-Qarara Cultural Museum near Khan Younis. Among the rubble are precious artefacts and antiquities, which tell a story of Gaza’s rich cultural history, being at the crossroads of multiple empires and peoples over centuries.
Amid the destruction and disorder of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed at least 74,022 Palestinians, valuable relics of Palestine’s history are being lost.
The Mayasem Association for Culture and Arts’ “Guardians of Heritage” team is racing against time to recover these items at risk of deteriorating or being stolen. Shaimaa Mohammad al-Natour, assistant coordinator of the programme, told Al Jazeera that her team has so far rescued more than 1,700 historical pieces from four museum collections since their work began.
The team is working hard to recover the remaining lost artefacts of Gaza’s 5,000-year-old history. But they face huge challenges, including continued displacement, a shortage of specialised restoration equipment and Israeli military restrictions.