Numerous historical sites ruined by Israeli attacks in Gaza Strip

Many historical sites in the Gaza Strip have become ruins after suffering devastating Israeli attacks over the past year since the outbreak of the latest round of conflict between Palestine and Israel.

The Great Mosque of Gaza, also known as the Al-Omari Grand Mosque, the largest and the oldest mosque in the Gaza Strip, was extensively destroyed in Israeli attacks late 2023.

Founded more than 1,400 years ago with an area of about 4,100 square meters, the Omari Mosque was an important historical monument in Gaza City and renowned in the Middle East, but now only its ruins remain.

Tareq Haniyeh grew up in Gaza City and often took tourists to visit the mosque before the conflict escalation when he worked as a tour guide. He's feeling quite upset about the ruined historic building.

"During World War I, the mosque was bombed by British naval ships, and it suffered the same fate after more than a century. [Israeli warships] blew it up from the sea. Every time I look up and see the ruins, I can't control my emotions, and sometimes I even cried. Some young people didn't quite understand and would come to ask what happened. Really, you can't imagine what this place means to my life," said Haniyeh.

The Omari Mosque is not the only ancient monument that has suffered devastating disasters. According to statistics from relevant Palestinian authorities, more than 280 buildings in the old town of Gaza City are over 100 years old, of which more than 100 are over 500 years old.

Over the past year, the prolonged conflict has caused huge damage to them, and some buildings even have no trace of their original appearance. Now local people can only recall the appearance of these historical buildings and their previous life through photos.

"It's not just us in Gaza City, but all of the people in the Gaza Strip are filled with sadness, because all the historical monuments in Gaza have been ruined, including the Gold Market, the Al-Omari Grand Mosque, the Hamam Al-Samra, the Pasha's Palace and the cathedral. None of them in Gaza City survived. People used to come here to visit the monuments. In the past, these places were crowded with people during holidays, and people held various events there, but now, we can only recall those scenes and see what they used to look like through photos on our phones," said Mahmoud Aral, another resident in Gaza City.

Numerous historical sites ruined by Israeli attacks in Gaza Strip

Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip were once again forced to flee their homes amid Israeli attacks in a tragic scene that has repeatedly played out since the latest round of conflict between Israel and Hamas broke out one year ago.

Israel launched intense airstrikes across northern Gaza on Sunday, just one day before the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israeli towns near Gaza in October 2023. Local residents described the intense airstrikes as the heaviest bombardment since the conflict broke out.

The Gaza Civil Defense said in a statement that dozens of people were killed or wounded and trapped under the rubble of homes hit in the Israeli attacks.

The strikes focused on areas east of Jabalia, Tel al-Zaatar, and near the Indonesia Hospital, according to the Civil Defense, which added that its crews were overwhelmed by the number of homes targeted overnight.

After the Israeli attacks, roads leading to the western and southern regions of Gaza City were congested with displaced Palestinians, who packed whatever they could and drove cars or rode donkey carts, with some on bicycles or even fleeing on foot from their once familiar homes. For many, it was not the first time fleeing from air strikes in the past year alone.

"Following the distribution of leaflets by the Israeli military on Sunday morning, we hurried to flee. This is the third time that our entire family was forced to experience displacement. How much longer will this situation persist? It's a catastrophe. All Gazans are fleeing and enduring this hardship. We walked from Jabalia to here, and we have to keep walking. Our car broke down just as we set off, so we have been pushing it all along the way," said a displaced Gaza resident.

However, some residents chose to remain in Gaza City despite evacuation orders as they believe that there are no safe places in Gaza.

"I will not go to southern Gaza. Even if I die in Gaza City, I will die on my own land. People who have fled there have informed us that they are still suffering freezing temperatures in their tents there and are still being bombarded by airstrikes and artillery shelling," said another displaced Palestinian.

The Palestinian death toll in Gaza from the ongoing Israeli attacks has risen to 41,870, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Sunday.

Palestinians displaced again as attacks continue in Northern Gaza