Ancient mosque destroyed in an Israeli strike in Gaza

The ancient archaeological Othman bin Qashqar Mosque in the old town of Gaza City was bombed today by Israeli warplanes, which also caused casualties among people and damage to nearby homes. The mosque was built in the year 620 Hijra (1220 AD), and despite its small area, it is one of the oldest mosques and archaeological sites in the Gaza Strip. It is located in the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, east of Gaza City, and is adjacent to the Great Al-Omari Mosque, which was also destroyed by the occupation warplanes during this aggression. Since the start of the aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7, the occupation warplanes have destroyed dozens of archaeological sites and ancient homes in a blatant deliberate attempt to target the Palestinian cultural heritage. According to the Ministry of Culture, the occupation warplanes bombed eight museums, including the Rafah Museum, the Al-Qarara Museum, and the Khan Yunis Museum, in addition to destroying most parts of the Old City of Gaza City, including dozens of hi storical buildings. Nine publishing houses and libraries were also destroyed, in addition to complete or partial destruction of at least 21 cultural centers. Most parts of the old town of Gaza City were also destroyed, including 20 historical buildings, including churches, mosques, museums, and archaeological sites. Three studios and media and artistic production companies were also damaged. Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA