Historic Gaza Palace Damaged, 20,000 Antiquities Missing after Israeli Strikes

DID Press: Gaza’s historic Qasr al-Basha palace and thousands of archaeological artifacts have been extensively damaged or looted following two years of Israeli bombardments, said local authorities on Monday.

More than 20,000 rare items, dating from prehistoric times to the Ottoman era, have disappeared, and 316 archaeological sites were partially or completely destroyed, officials reported.

Ismail Al-Thawabta, head of Gaza’s media office, described the attacks as a “systematic policy aimed at erasing Palestinian identity,” adding that the organized looting could constitute a crime under international law.

Experts say 70% of Qasr al-Basha, a Mamluk-era building listed on UNESCO’s heritage register, was damaged during the strikes. Thousands of artifacts vanished after Israeli forces raided the site.

Workers and cultural heritage specialists are still searching the rubble with basic tools to salvage remaining historical items. Hamouda Al-Dahdar, a heritage expert in Bethlehem, called the destruction a “cultural crime” that damages both Palestinian identity and humanity’s shared heritage.