Saving the past by salvaging historic manuscripts in Gaza's ruined Great Omari Mosque

Hundreds of Ottoman and Mameluke manuscripts salvaged from bombed-out historical site

A member of Gaza's Department of Archaeological Manuscripts collects works to salvage books and manuscripts from the Great Omari Mosque Library that were damaged in the war. Anadolu via Getty Images

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Gaza's brief ceasefire brought with it the opportunity for families to be reunited, businesses to reopen and damage to be surveyed after 15 months of war. But for guardians of the enclave's heritage, it was a chance to secure and restore precious artefacts, including hundreds of manuscripts dating back to the Ottoman and Mameluke eras at the Great Omari Mosque in Gaza city.

The team from Gaza's Department of Archaeological Manuscripts at Qubbat Al Saada in the Great Omari Mosque Library began meticulously restoring and preserving the works, some of which are more than 700 years old, in the hope of saving them for future generations, despite having limited equipment.

The restoration and rescue team for manuscripts at the mosque's library received funding from an international organisation for the work, engineer Hanin Al Amsi, the director of the team, said.

Speaking to The National before Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza on March 18, Ms Al Amsi said the team had rescued 123 manuscripts from 228 that were housed in the library before the Israel-Hamas war. As for historical loose papers, of which there were 78 before the conflict, only 36 have been recovered.

"The condition of the manuscripts is extremely dire due to direct damage from bombing and destruction," Ms Al Amsi explained. "They remained buried under the rubble for more than 500 days, exposed to water damage, mould, humidity and other deteriorating factors.

The Great Omari Mosque, damaged during the Israeli-Hamas conflict. EPA

“These manuscripts are deeply tied to Gaza’s history, Islamic heritage and the succession of civilisations and ruling dynasties. Some also cover historical Arab and global affairs. Before the war, the library was a destination for researchers and history enthusiasts, and we are striving to restore that status through our restoration efforts.”

Ms Al Amsi said the team faced limitations because its tools were basic. Heavy machinery cannot be used to unearth the buried manuscripts, even if it were available, as it could damage already fragile items. If they are recovered, the specialist tools needed to restore the pages are unavailable due to Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip since the war began in October 2023. Tools of the kind the team need are not a priority in aid deliveries designed to feed the Palestinian territory's 2.3 million people.

"Unfortunately, everything in Gaza has been obliterated – stones, trees and historical documents," she said. "However, this project revives hope in preserving Gaza’s history, which Israel seeks to erase and steal. This history will always stand as a testament to the Arab and Palestinian identity of this land."

A Palestinian man reads the Quran at the Great Omari Mosque in March 2023. AFP

The Great Omari Mosque Library in Gaza was established nearly 700 years ago. It houses more than 20,000 books in various fields, in addition to its collection of manuscripts. It is the third-largest library in Palestine, spanning an area of 4,100 square metres. Before the war, the library was working on digitising the collection to ensure the content of the manuscripts would be maintained and could be studied around the world.

Among its most notable manuscripts is the Islamic law text Sharh Al-Ghawamid fi Ilm Al-Fara'id by Badr Al Din Al Mardini, which is about 500 years old.

Mustafa Al Hilu, 31, a resident of Gaza city, expressed his deep attachment to Gaza’s historical and cultural heritage.

"The Great Omari Mosque in Gaza is a landmark for everyone," he told The National. "Since childhood, we have been accustomed to visiting it, exploring its facilities and, most importantly, its vast library, which we always loved. We enjoyed reading its books and listening to the explanations provided by the library staff, especially during school trips.

"I studied Arabic language at university, which deepened my love for books and reading – not just in my field of study but across all disciplines, particularly religious and scientific knowledge. This is why I used to frequent the library, exploring its vast collection."

Mr Al Hilu maintains Israel deliberately bombed the mosque and its collection in the course of its air strikes. "The Omari Mosque is not just a place of worship; it is a fully integrated centre of knowledge," he said. "When Israel destroyed it, along with its library and manuscripts, its intention was clear – to erase its existence and history from Palestinian records.

"History is what disturbs Israel the most. It knows that everything on this land, and everything built upon it, is Palestinian and Islamic. There was never a place for them here as long as these historical and cultural landmarks stood. This is why they deliberately destroyed books, history, mosques, and attempted to annihilate everything in Gaza during their war."

Many of the historical artefacts stored at the Great Omari Mosque are believed to be buried under rubble. EPA