Gaza's historical sites damaged while Palestinians salvage what remains

The article reports extensive damage to Gaza's historic sites, including the Great Omari Mosque and Pasha Palace, and describes local recovery work by Palestinians and heritage groups after a ceasefire halted most large-scale fighting.

The Great Omari Mosque and other long-standing landmarks in Gaza have been left in ruin after strikes during the two-year Israel-Hamas war, and people who once used those places are now helping to recover what remains. With major military operations halted under a ceasefire, Palestinians and cultural organizations are gaining clearer access to damaged sites and beginning urgent salvage work. Heritage specialists and local workers are sifting through rubble, storing stones and documenting losses where possible. Reconstruction and full restoration face uncertainty because of restricted access and unresolved political and logistical obstacles. Key facts: - Gaza's Health Ministry reported over 72,000 Palestinian deaths during the military offensive, as cited in the article. - UNESCO has verified damage to at least 150 cultural sites since the start of the war, including religious sites, historic buildings, monuments and archaeological locations. - The Israeli military said it struck militant targets and tunnel infrastructure at some heritage sites; Gaza officials denied some allegations and a U.N. commission reported no evidence of a tunnel shaft at the Omari mosque. - Heritage teams report missing artifacts and damage at sites such as Pasha Palace; some items described as missing include an Ottoman-era Quranic manuscript, medieval jewelry and fragments of a Roman-era sarcophagus. Summary: Damage to Gaza's cultural heritage is described as widespread and is being documented and partially recovered by local workers and preservation groups. The longer-term course for restoration and reconstruction is not specified and remains undetermined at this time.