dozens of historic sites destroyed by bombings in Gaza

Since his return to France, archaeologist René Elter has closely followed the destruction of Gazan historical heritage by Israeli bombings.

More than 5,000 years of history are threatened by war between Hamas and Israel. The Gaza Strip is “an open-air museum” if we are to believe René Elter, archaeologist from the NGO Première Urgence. Since the start of the conflict, the archaeological and historical heritage of the Gaza Strip has suffered the wrath of bombings and Israeli military operations.

The French archaeologist was carrying out excavations and restorations with his Palestinian team when the war broke out after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. He was able to leave the Palestinian enclave at the start of the war between Hamas and Israel, but the members of his team that he trained remained there. They are the ones who inform him of the damage to historic sites. “Heritage has been affected yes, because we have images which come out every day, we have information on the major places which may have been destroyed or affected”, explains René Elter. He cites, for example, the al-Omari mosque, the Pasha museum located in downtown Gaza or the Hamam Samra Ottoman baths. “which have been completely destroyed”.

“My colleagues, when they have a little electricity, a little network, scan social networks and send me information.”

René Elter, archaeologist

at franceinfo

His collaborators “take a lot of risks”, says René Elter. “They go out and see the places they have worked on, the places they are very attached to, they make videos and take photos and that allows us to make observations”continues the archaeologist.

Around thirty sites monitored by satellite

According to UNESCO, nearly 200 heritage sites in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged since October 7. The United Nations agency has also included the site of the Saint-Hilarion monastery on the list of buildings to be protected. As it is difficult to go on the ground, satellites monitor Palestinian heritage. “Since the beginning of December, we have set up a surveillance program via satellites from the agency, UNOSAT, on a certain number of sites that we have designated in Gaza., explains René Elter. Around thirty sites are thus scrutinized.

“These sites risk disappearing if we do not take care of them in the coming months, if not to protect them, while waiting to do better and that is what we are building as a program . The idea is really to preserve what can still be saved.”, explains the archaeologist. In order not to lose the experience and knowledge acquired, the members of the land team still receive their salaries. They are eager to return to work as soon as conditions allow.