To the sound of buzzing Israeli drones, a group of Palestinian archaeologists are working in the bombed-out palace of Qasr al-Basha in northern Gaza, reports the Spanish EFE.
The palace was built in the 13th century and has served as a museum in recent years. However, after Israeli bombings in 2023, only a facade of the building, located in the Daraj neighborhood of Gaza City, remained.
Unfortunately, the Israeli occupation forces bombed this important site at the beginning of the 2023 war, destroying large parts and looting materials from the palace's storerooms, Hamouda al-Dahdar, who is in charge of the restoration work, told EFE.
Thousands of objects have been stolen from the museum, according to Hamouda al-Dahdar, who claims they were taken by Israeli soldiers. Many have also been destroyed.
Archaeologist Nariman Jelan is working with small pottery fragments scattered on the ground. The oldest, he explains to EFE, are from the Greek period that began with Alexander the Great's invasion of Gaza in 332 BC.
On November 4, 2025, UNESCO stated that it had verified damage to at least 145 historical sites in Gaza through satellite imagery, of which 14 are religious centers and 110 are buildings of historical or artistic interest. However, according to Hamouda al-Dahdar, the number of destroyed archaeological buildings in Gaza is more than 300.
Among them is Gaza's oldest mosque, the Omari Mosque, which was built in the 7th century.
