Gaza’s historic heart now in ruins

Palestinian youths standing on top of the Great Omari Mosque during a funeral in central Gaza City in this file photo from May 9, 2023. In December 2023, it was all but destroyed in an airstrike by the Israeli military. — ©2024 The New York Times Company

PERHAPS no structure so exemplified the rich, interwoven history of the Gaza Strip as the Great Omari Mosque, believed by many to be the oldest in the territory.

As empires waned, religious buildings on the site – first pagan, then Christian and Muslim – were destroyed or repurposed. The mosque was rebuilt many times, surviving not only as a beloved centre for Islamic faith and learning, but also as a symbol of resilience.