GAZA, (PIC)
Amid the harsh conditions of displacement in the Al-Mawasi area west of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, a youth team fights a different battle under the title of protecting Palestinian heritage and rescuing what remains of the historical evidence impacted by the Israeli war.
The “Heritage Guardians” initiative seeks to recover archaeological and heritage artifacts from under the rubble, before working on restoring, documenting, and preserving them, with the aim of safeguarding the historical memory of the Strip and preventing its disappearance under the wreckage of war, according to Anadolu.
In a modest tent surrounded by camps sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced people, simple wooden boxes have turned into a temporary warehouse housing hundreds of pieces that survived the bombardment, making this tent a miniature museum that preserves what remains of Gaza’s cultural heritage.
The launch of the initiative came following the widespread destruction that befell museums and archaeological sites in the Strip, as the “Heritage Guardians” team affiliated with the Mayasim Association initiated the collection of damaged acquisitions from targeted sites, working to restore and archive them inside temporary preservation places. Youth on a mission to rescue memory
Shayma Al-Natour, assistant coordinator of the heritage protection program at the Mayasim Association, explained that the team was founded in 2024 and includes 20 male and female volunteers united by the desire to protect Palestinian cultural heritage from loss.
She pointed out that the first steps of the work consisted of surveying museum collections and sites damaged as a result of the bombardment, in preparation for accessing them and extracting as many of their contents as possible.
She added that team members succeeded in rescuing a number of archaeological pieces from under the rubble, before documenting, archiving, and preserving them inside boxes designated for that purpose.
The initiative’s activity is not limited to rescuing physical pieces only, as the team also works on recording narratives and stories associated with them within an oral history project, ensuring the transmission of popular memory from one generation to another.
Al-Natour emphasizes that preserving heritage is not limited to protecting acquisitions, but also includes safeguarding the tales and experiences that reflect the lives of ancestors and their history. Widespread losses in museums and archaeological sites
The Israeli aggression has led to the destruction of a large number of museums and historical landmarks in Gaza, including the Al-Qarara Museum, as well as the loss of thousands of heritage and museum pieces.
According to Al-Natour, about 3,500 museum pieces have disappeared as a result of the destruction, while the locations of approximately 300 other pieces still buried under the rubble have been identified in areas difficult to access due to security risks.
She also pointed out that some citizens find archaeological acquisitions while removing rubble without knowing their historical value, which increases the chances of losing an additional part of Palestinian heritage.
Despite limited capabilities and the absence of ideal preservation conditions, the team continues its daily efforts inside the tent, considering it an enforced choice to preserve what can be rescued.
Al-Natour said that the tent does not provide full protection for archaeological pieces, but it gives them a chance to survive until museums are rehabilitated and safer places are provided to preserve them. Gaza: History treasured by civilizations
The Gaza Strip possesses a rich historical heritage built successively by multiple civilizations, from the Canaanites and Phoenicians to the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines, reaching up to the various Islamic eras, including the Mamluk and Ottoman periods.
This cultural accumulation has left its marks on the urban and cultural landscape of the Strip, forming a witness to the depth of the Palestinian existence and the rooting of its civilization across the centuries.
According to the latest statistics from the Government Media Office issued on December 31, 2025, about 208 archaeological and heritage sites out of 325 sites in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed since the outbreak of the war.
The war has left widespread destruction affecting various aspects of life and civilian infrastructure, while “Heritage Guardians” volunteers continue their efforts to rescue what remains of Gaza’s historical memory, in a race against time and ruin.