A Tour of Gaza’s Ancient Sites, Now Lost to War


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What is left of the Omari Mosque. It was Gaza’s oldest Muslim house of worship and previously a Crusader church. The Israeli army said it bombed the mosque to target militants and a tunnel shaft inside.

Omar El Qattaa for NPR

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Omar El Qattaa for NPR

What is left of the Omari Mosque. It was Gaza’s oldest Muslim house of worship and previously a Crusader church. The Israeli army said it bombed the mosque to target militants and a tunnel shaft inside.

Omar El Qattaa for NPR

Among the vast destruction of buildings in Gaza, some historically valuable and irreplaceable sites are now in ruins. Our correspondent visited some of of these places before the war and brings us to them, then and now.

To see photos of some of the places referenced in this story and for more coverage of all sides of this conflict, go to npr.org/mideastupdates.

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