UN Approves New Gaza Governance and Security Mission as Heritage Experts Warn of Systematic Destruction of Palestinian Cultural Sites
UN Approves New Gaza Governance and Security Mission as Heritage Experts Warn of Systematic Destruction of Palestinian Cultural Sites
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The UN Security Council on Monday adopted a US-drafted resolution establishing a new transitional Board of Peace (BoP) and authorizing an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to oversee security, governance, and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip through 2027. According to Anadolu Agency, the resolution passed with 13 votes in favor, while China and Russia abstained.
The decision comes as Palestinian officials and cultural heritage experts warn of the large-scale destruction and looting of Gaza’s archaeological and historical sites during Israel’s ongoing military campaign, which has reduced much of the enclave to rubble.
Addressing the Council before the vote, US ambassador Mike Waltz said the BoP and ISF form “a bold, pragmatic blueprint”, laying out a future for “Palestinian self-determination” once reforms in the Palestinian Authority are completed.
The resolution authorizes the BoP and ISF until Dec. 31, 2027, with any extension requiring coordination with Egypt, Israel, and participating member states.
Russia’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia criticized the measure as lacking legal clarity, failing to specify when control would return to the Palestinian Authority, and enabling the ISF to act “absolutely autonomously.” He warned the plan resembled “colonial practices” that sideline Palestinians. China’s envoy Fu Cong called the resolution vague and insufficiently reflective of Palestinian sovereignty.
As political disputes continue at the UN, Palestinian cultural officials say Gaza’s historical identity is being systematically erased.
Ismail al-Thawabteh, head of Gaza’s Government Media Office, told Anadolu that the Israeli military has destroyed more than 316 archaeological sites and buildings, including structures from the Mamluk, Ottoman, Byzantine, and early Islamic periods. Many sites have also been looted.
Among the most heavily damaged is Qasr al-Basha, an 800-year-old Mamluk-era palace in Gaza City built on a UNESCO-recognized heritage site. Experts report that 70% of the palace was destroyed during Israeli attacks, and more than 20,000 artifacts once housed in the museum have disappeared.
Cultural heritage specialist Hamouda Al-Dahdar said technicians are still recovering scattered artifacts from the ruins, describing the situation as “not only destruction, but organized looting,” a violation of international law. He called the disappearance of thousands of artifacts “a grave cultural crime that affects national identity and humanity’s shared heritage.”
