Restoring Gaza's Pasha Palace: Uncovering the Past Amidst Conflict

As of November 13th, 2025, Palestinian workers have commenced the rehabilitation of the Pasha's Palace Museum, a former medieval fortress turned heritage site in Gaza City. The museum, which once housed over 40,000 artifacts representing the succession of civilizations in Gaza, was severely damaged during the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The restoration team, led by cultural heritage expert Hamouda al-Dahdar, is meticulously clearing sand and crumbling mortar from the bombarded buildings that remain of the Pasha Palace Museum. More than 70% of the palace's structures were destroyed during the recent war, and the workers are carefully sorting the excavated stones and rubble for future restoration efforts.

According to Issam Juha, the director of the Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation, the main challenge has been obtaining the necessary materials to carry out the repairs. The war had caused severe restrictions on the Gaza Strip, leading to shortages of essential supplies. However, the ceasefire agreement reached in October has allowed the workers to resume their excavations, which were previously halted due to safety concerns.

Juha's organization estimates that at least 226 heritage and cultural sites were damaged during the war, a figure higher than the 114 sites identified by UNESCO. The Pasha Palace Museum is just one of the many important historical landmarks that have been affected, with the Saint Hilarion Monastery complex and the Omari Mosque in Gaza City also sustaining significant damage.

"Our cultural heritage is the identity and memory of the Palestinian people," said Dahdar, emphasizing the importance of preserving these sites. The team has already recovered 20 important artifacts dating back to the Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic eras, and they continue to work tirelessly to salvage the remaining treasures buried beneath the rubble.