A picture of the destroyed Al-Salam Mosque, which called for the call to prayer for the first time after months, after the occupation destroyed most of Gaza’s mosques (Al-Jazeera)

The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs in Gaza announced - yesterday, Sunday - that the Israeli army destroyed a thousand mosques and dozens of cemeteries in the Strip, with more than 100 preachers assassinated since the seventh of last October.

The Ministry indicated - in a statement - that the number of mosques that were completely or partially destroyed reached 1,000 out of 1,200, including ancient mosques, which require reconstruction efforts at a cost estimated at about 500 million dollars.

The ministry added that the assassination operations carried out by Israeli forces resulted in the martyrdom of more than 100 preachers, including religious scholars, preachers, imams, muezzins, and memorizers.

The Zionist occupation forces continue to destroy dozens of cemeteries and exhume graves, violating the limits of humanity and international laws, according to what was stated in the statement.

The Ministry reported that the emergency cemeteries in the Gaza governorates were completely filled, which led to a lack of space for burial, and they were forced to bury the martyrs in public places such as sidewalks, inside homes, markets, schools, and hospital courtyards.

It confirmed that the Zionist occupation destroyed, as part of its religious campaign, the Greek Orthodox Church, several administrative facilities, zakat committees, schools teaching the Holy Quran, and the headquarters of the Endowment Bank.

The Ministry concluded its statement by emphasizing the necessity of supporting the Arab and Islamic nation and human consciences, calling on every free and honorable person to fulfill his responsibilities towards his brothers in the Gaza Strip.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been waging a devastating war on Gaza, which as of yesterday, Sunday, resulted in the death of 25,105 Palestinians and the injury of 62,681 others, most of them children and women.

This war also caused the displacement of about 1.9 million people, or more than 85% of the population, amid massive destruction of homes and infrastructure, according to Palestinian and international reports.

Source: Anadolu Agency