The Nice Omari Mosque has been decreased to rubble, with solely its historic minaret standing, in accordance with photographs launched by the Palestinian group.
Hamas has stated that Israel bombed Gaza’s medieval Omari Mosque, inflicting widespread destruction to the landmark web site, and urged UNESCO to guard historic buildings within the besieged Palestinian territory.
Footage and pictures posted on social media by the Palestinian group on Friday appeared to indicate the Nice Omari Mosque, the biggest and oldest in Gaza Metropolis, decreased to rubble.
Solely the minaret seemed to be intact, with the environment shattered. The positioning has been a Christian or Muslim holy web site since not less than the fifth century.
“The crime of concentrating on and destroying archaeological websites ought to spur the world and UNESCO into motion to protect this nice civilisational and cultural heritage,” Gaza’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities stated. It estimated that 104 mosques have been razed for the reason that begin of the Israeli assault on Gaza on October 7.
Palestinians in Gaza have expressed outrage after seeing the pictures. “I’ve been praying there and enjoying round all of it by my childhood,” 45-year-old Ahmed Nemer informed the information service Reuters, accusing Israel of “making an attempt to wipe out our reminiscences”.
The tailor, who lived on the road subsequent to the Omari Mosque, was talking from southern Gaza, the place he fled to hunt shelter from the bombardment.
Mohammad Rajab, a taxi driver from Gaza Metropolis who has additionally fled to the south from his residence a number of hundred metres from the mosque, stated it was the town’s most essential landmark. “That is barbaric,” he stated.
There was no fast remark from the Israeli army.
The Othman bin Qashqar Mosque, additionally in Gaza Metropolis, was hit by air raids on Thursday, Hamas stated. It additionally condemned the destruction of the Hammam al-Samara, the final Turkish-style bathtub within the territory, the place Gaza Palestinians had bathed for greater than 1,000 years.
The Palestinian group, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007, stated three church buildings had additionally been destroyed, together with the 1,000-year-old Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, the oldest nonetheless energetic within the territory.
Israel has relentlessly bombed the Gaza Strip since Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 folks, in accordance with Israeli authorities.
Israel’s assault on Gaza has killed greater than 17,000 Palestinians, in accordance with well being authorities within the besieged enclave, and has laid waste to complete metropolis districts together with a lot civilian infrastructure.
The NGO Heritage for Peace counted 195 architectural heritage websites in Gaza. In a latest survey, the group discovered 104 websites had been partially broken by the persevering with battle.
Gaza’s architectural heritage had already suffered throughout earlier wars between Israel and Hamas. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of utilizing mosques, faculties and different civilian infrastructure to defend its fighters.