UN Report Declares Israeli Attacks on Palestinian Cultural Sites War Crimes

According to the findings of an independent United Nations commission, Israel’s attacks on cultural and religious sites in the occupied Palestinian territories have been recognized as war crimes and crimes against humanity. This information was disclosed in a report highlighting the severity of the situation.

The commission noted that Israel “destroyed the education system in Gaza and demolished more than half of all religious and cultural sites in the region.” In some cases, there were documented instances of artifact removal and looting.

The report focuses on ten religious and cultural sites in Gaza that were civilian at the time of the attacks and suffered “catastrophic damage.” Investigators found no military justification for these actions.

Among the destroyed sites from October to December 2023 are: the Church of Saint Porphyrius, one of the oldest churches in the world, partially destroyed by an airstrike that killed 19 civilians; the Great Omari Mosque, built in the 7th century, also destroyed; the Al-Mathaf Museum, Gaza’s first archaeological museum, which was looted and demolished; and the Pasha Palace Museum, housing ancient art relics, which was shelled and nearly completely destroyed.

The commission’s legal analysis indicates that Israeli security forces “were aware of the location and significance of important cultural sites in Gaza.” Accordingly, in most investigated cases, especially those involving demolition using explosives and bulldozers, the Israeli armed forces committed war crimes.

Among the accusations leveled against Israeli military personnel in the report are:

• deliberate targeting of places of worship and historical landmarks;
• intentional attacks carried out with knowledge that they would cause harm to civilian objects disproportionate to the military advantage;
• widespread destruction of property without military necessity;
• destruction of enemy property without proper justification.

The summary analysis notes that damage to “material heritage” has a “cascading effect and deeply impacts intangible cultural elements such as religious and cultural practices, memory, and history.” The large number of attacks – 110 sites since October 7, 2023 – demonstrates a “clear disregard for the religious beliefs, culture, and heritage of the Palestinian people.”