Protecting Palestinian Heritage: Experts Sound Alarm on Gaza’s Cultural Erasure

The Gaza Strip, a region rich in cultural heritage and history, is currently facing an unprecedented threat to its archaeological sites and historical identity. Experts, including Professor Salah Hussein Al-Houdalieh from Al-Quds University, warn that the ongoing military actions have led to a systematic destruction of Palestinian cultural landmarks. This alarming situation could erase centuries of historical memory, making it crucial to shed light on the impact of these events.

In a recent statement, Professor Al-Houdalieh emphasized the dire consequences of the ongoing conflict, which has now stretched into its 17th month. He stated, “The Gaza Strip’s cultural heritage has endured occupation, looting, and neglect for decades, but what we are witnessing now is systematic obliteration.” He further described the assault as “not just collateral damage—it is an ideologically driven assault on Palestinian identity.”

Gaza’s significance as a crossroads of civilizations spans over 1.5 million years, with a rich history involving ancient Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, Byzantines, and various Islamic dynasties. A UNESCO-backed survey conducted in 2019 identified 354 heritage sites in the region, including:

• The Great Omari Mosque
• Anthedon Harbour
• Tell al-Sakan, one of the oldest Bronze Age settlements

However, since October 2023, the landscape has dramatically changed. Israeli airstrikes and ground operations have devastated these historic landmarks, leading to staggering humanitarian consequences. Reports indicate that over 61,709 Palestinians have been killed, with 14,222 still missing under debris, and 111,588 injured. In addition to the loss of life, there has been a catastrophic impact on museums, libraries, and archives that housed invaluable manuscripts, artifacts, and oral histories.

Professor Al-Houdalieh poignantly remarked, “When you bomb a museum or a centuries-old mosque, you are not just destroying stones—you are erasing the roots of a people.” He coined the term “memoricide” to describe this tragic phenomenon. The deliberate targeting of Gaza’s cultural heritage is reminiscent of historical atrocities, such as the burning of the Library of Alexandria and the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas. According to Al-Houdalieh, these acts are “not accidents of war, but tools of colonial domination.”

The international community has not remained silent. The United Nations Human Rights Council has accused Israel of committing acts of genocide and apartheid. Meanwhile, ICOMOS-Palestine has expanded the terminology used to describe these actions to include culturicide, urbicide, and ecocide, which refer to the intentional destruction of culture, urban life, and the environment.

A critical question now arises: Should Palestinians focus on rebuilding their lost heritage or preserve the ruins as a testament to the destruction they have endured? In Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority quickly reconstructed its bombed headquarters, effectively erasing the traces of the attack. Professor Al-Houdalieh expresses concern that Gaza may face a similar dilemma regarding whether to rebuild sites like the Omari Mosque or to leave behind the remnants as symbols of resistance.

Despite the overwhelming destruction, Professor Al-Houdalieh remains hopeful about the resilience of Palestinian identity. He notes that farmers continue to use Canaanite agricultural terms, and refugees pass down keys to their homes from 1948 as a powerful symbol of their right to return. He stated, “Our heritage is not just in buildings—it’s in our stories, our traditions, our persistence.”

However, he warns that without urgent global intervention, Gaza risks losing the physical evidence of its millennia-old civilization. As international heritage organizations largely remain quiet, archaeologists in Gaza are working diligently to document the damage, racing against time to preserve what remains of Palestine’s historical memory before it is permanently lost.

The future of Gaza’s cultural heritage hangs in the balance, and the world must heed the call to protect it. This is not merely a local issue; it is a global concern that transcends borders, demanding attention and action from all corners of the globe.