Before its destruction in an Israeli strike on December 8, 2023, the Great Omari Mosque was the largest and oldest mosque in the Gaza Strip.
Not long before Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, the Palestine Chronicle reported on the celebration of Prophet Mohammed’s birthday from inside the historic Al-Omari Mosque in Gaza.
Thousands of people took part in the celebration, as there was not enough space inside the mosque to accommodate the large and growing crowd.
The spirit was that of hope, faith, and resilience.
Before its destruction in an Israeli strike on December 8, 2023, the Great Omari Mosque was the largest and oldest mosque in the Gaza Strip.
Located in Gaza’s Old City, the mosque was particularly famous for its minaret, which was octagonal on top and square-shaped at the bottom, typical of the Mamluk architectural style.
The mosque and nearly every other mosque in the whole of Gaza, numbered at around 1200, has been destroyed by the Israeli war.
The Palestine Chronicle shares these photos from previous celebrations of the Prophet’s birthday, and other religious occasions as a reminder that the power of the Palestinian people does not stem from blocks of concrete, but from their own spirituality, faith and hope.
Indeed, Palestinians in Gaza continue to pray near the ruins of their destroyed mosques, in their refugee encampments, and under the sounds of bombs and the whizzing of Israeli rockets.
Gaza has taught us that faith is neither a mosque, a church, or a temple, but the undying spirit of a people, who will surely resurrect their houses of worship from beneath the rubble and rebuild their cities once more.
(All Photos: Mahmoud Ajjour, The Palestine Chronicle)
