The Israeli airstrikes on the occupied Gaza Strip over last weekend caused significant damage to a well-known cultural center and an educational facility for children with disabilities.
According to The National, Gaza’s Arts and Crafts Village was “severely damaged” when one Israeli strike “hit an unfinished building right next to the village”.
As well as killing two Palestinian children, Israel's strikes on the occupied Gaza Strip four days ago severely damaged the Arts and Crafts Village.#GazaUnderAttack #SaveGaza #IsraeliCrimes pic.twitter.com/jhVXA04eBt
— EQB (@eqb_eng) July 19, 2018
Jomma Alzaem, who owns an antique brass shop in the Village, told The National:
“I believe that Israel wanted to target the village, not the building. They targeted Palestinian heritage, a heritage that they don’t own. I spent years collecting the brass. I had items about 100 years old. My shop was considered as a tourist attraction, and now all of the brass and relics are under rubble”.
Nihad Shaqlih, director of the village, said it was completely damaged by the Israeli strikes.
Palestinian artists display their paintings in the destroyed Arts and Crafts Village in Gaza,the cultural Centre was purposely bombed last saturday,2 teenage Palestinian boys who were on a rooftop were also killed by IOF.#GazaUnderAttack#GazaMassacre #GreatReturnMarch pic.twitter.com/olDXQLk9Y5
— خاتيجا سليمانKhatija (@KatSuleman) July 18, 2018
She commented:
“The village contains archaeological items and brass hundreds of years old but all of it is under rubble. It is an attempt by the Israeli occupation to destroy and erase our heritage, but we will rebuild the village again to protect Palestinian history”.
Retweeted Shehab News (@ShehabAgencyEn):#Palestinian artists display artwork in the yard of the damaged Arts and Crafts Village, which was hit by #Israeli air strikes two days before, in #Gaza City. #IsraeliWarCrimes#ICC4Israel pic.twitter.com/U3hrwXit9H
— luís filipe (@erbantar1) July 18, 2018
The National added:
“Now paintings and historical objects lie scattered on the ground, along with shards of pottery. Some shops are partly destroyed – the ceilings collapsed, walls cracked. Inside the building, broken glass crunches beneath the weight of people’s footsteps”.
Meanwhile, a partner organization of US NGO Humanity & Inclusion (HI), also saw “their work severely disrupted as a result of damage caused by the indirect impact of airstrikes close-by”.
“I can’t hold my kids like before."
In April, Mohammed was shot in the leg during demonstrations at the #Gaza border. HI's team is helping Mohammed, and others like him, recover through rehabilitation care. Read on: https://t.co/lLiRcksSxO pic.twitter.com/UEgLipNoyZ
— Humanity & Inclusion U.S. (@HI_UnitedStates) July 12, 2018
According to HI, the premises – in a building “adapted to welcome children with disabilities” – provides “education and play facilities for children”, and “sustained indirect but widespread damage as a result of nearby airstrikes”.
HI noted that “many rooms are now unsafe and unusable and several disability-friendly facilities have been destroyed”.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
