Destroying cultural and historical centers in Gaza: Setting back innovation for years
In the midst of the despair and loss in Gaza City, lies another casualty: the cultural institutions of the embattled enclave, especially its few libraries. The Gaza Municipal Library and the Rashad al-Shawa Cultural Center, which hosted a meeting between President Bill Clinton and Yasser Arafat 25 years ago, have been reduced to rubble during the almost two months of war as Israel seeks to dismantle the militant group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.
According to a statement released by the local government, the municipal building and its language courses hall and other facilities have been destroyed. The violence has also impacted the Rashad al-Shawa Cultural Center, once a sanctuary and cultural haven for locals, and the municipal printing press. The municipal authorities believe that the strikes were aimed at “spreading ignorance in society.”
The Israeli attack, targeting Gaza City and the northern part of the strip, was unleashed after a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7th that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths. Unfortunately, civilians bear the brunt of the retaliation, with over 13,300 people in Gaza killed, and 80% of its population displaced.
Photos provided by the municipality show the main library building completely gutted, full of scattered books and broken shelves. The library, founded in 1999 under a twinning agreement with the French city of Dunkirk, was a hub for students, families, and writers. The Rashad al-Shawa Cultural Center, which played a role in the historic PLO charter vote in 1998, has also been destroyed.
Museums, archaeological heritage sites, and university campuses in Gaza have all suffered destruction during these attacks, according to human rights and cultural heritage groups, creating an enormous setback for innovation and cultural development.
The losses are deeply mourned by the residents. The Gaza City municipality has called on UNESCO to prioritize the safeguarding of Gaza’s cultural institutions, noting that these places are “protected under international humanitarian law.”
These libraries, and the cultural environment they nourished, will be sorely missed. The destruction has brought a sense of irreplaceable loss to the local community.
