The government media office in Gaza announced that "the Israeli army has destroyed and targeted more than 200 archaeological and heritage sites in the Gaza Strip out of 325 sites, including ancient mosques, churches, schools, museums, ancient homes, and various heritage sites, in a failed attempt to obliterate the Palestinian cultural and heritage presence and to erase historical witnesses and Palestinian historical depth in the Gaza Strip." Among the most notable sites destroyed by the Israeli army are: (the Byzantine Church of Jabalia, the Omar Mosque in Jabalia, Sheikh Shaaban Mosque, the Dhamri Mosque in Shuja'iyya, the Al-Khidr Shrine in Deir al-Balah, the Al-Balakhia site "Port of Anthedon" northwest of Old Gaza City, the Mosque of Khalil Al-Rahman in Abasan area in Khan Younis "southern Gaza Strip," and the center for manuscripts and ancient documents in Gaza City, among other important archaeological and heritage sites). It also targeted: (the Church of Saint Porphyrius in the Zaitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, the ancient Beit Al-Saqa in Shuja'iyya, Tel Al-Muntar in Gaza City, Tel Al-Sakan in Al-Zahra, Hill 86 in Al-Qarara, and the Sayyid Hashim Mosque in Gaza City).
It was explained that "some of the destroyed heritage and archaeological sites date back to the Phoenician era, some to the Roman era, some were constructed 800 years before Christ, some were built 1400 years ago, and others 400 years ago, clearly indicating the deep-rooted Palestinian right to the Palestinian land that the occupation is attempting to alter through bombing and direct targeting." The office called on all relevant international and UN organizations concerned with cultural and heritage dimensions to condemn this organized crime and to work on rehabilitating and restoring these destroyed cultural and heritage sites.
