Gaza’s Oldest Mosque Targeted by Israeli Air Strike: Report
The report did not reveal further details about the extent of the damage.
The mosque, also known as Gaza's Great Mosque, was built in the Umayyad period around 700 CE. It was constructed on the site of the older cathedral of John the Baptist, which was built in 406 CE. The cathedral was built over the ruins of the Temple of Dagon, an ancient Philistine temple dedicated to a pagan god, according to the Barakat Trust, a UK charity specializing in the heritage of the Islamic world.
The mosque's minaret, with its square foundation and octagonal tower, dates back to the Mamluk Empire's rule over Gaza from 1250 to 1517.
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Over the years, Israel's bombings in Gaza have destroyed many significant elements of its architectural heritage.
In 2014, another mosque named Omari, located in the Jabaliya area near Gaza City, was hit by an Israeli missile, damaging its vaulted sandstone arches from the seventh century and resulting in the death of the muezzin.
Gaza's Old City is home to other historical religious sites, including the St Philip the Evangelist Chapel and the St Porphyrius Church.
The 1,600-year-old St Porphyrius Church was bombed by Israel in October, while Muslims and Christians sought refuge within its walls during a retaliatory military campaign.
The church, originally built in 425 CE and named after Saint Porphyrius, is the oldest functioning Christian place of worship in Gaza.
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The Israeli attack destroyed the two adjoining halls of the church complex and resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people seeking shelter on the church grounds.
The church was converted into a mosque during the seventh-century Mamluk rule, but it was restored to its original Christian dedication in the mid-12th century.
Source: Agencies
