Footage documents Israeli soldiers burning copies of Holy Quran in mosque in Gaza: Report

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) - Footage released on Friday showed Israeli soldiers burning copies of the Holy Quran in a mosque in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Qatari news channel Al Jazeera said it obtained the footage from video taken by Israeli soldiers and drones that were found in Gaza.

The footage showed Israeli soldiers breaking into the Bani Saleh Mosque in the northern Gaza Strip and then tearing up and burning copies of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, inside the mosque.

In more footage, the Israeli army is shown destroying the Grand Mosque in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, one of the oldest mosques in Gaza, built 96 years ago.

The Israeli army has yet to comment on the footage.

Destroying or desecrating a Quran is a grave offense under Islam and an insult to the faith of some 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide.

In the course of the Israeli army's 10-month offensive on Gaza, hundreds of mosques, including the Great Omari Mosque, established on a site in Gaza City some 1,400 years old, have been partially or completely destroyed.

According to the Gaza-based Government Media Office, the Israeli army has completely destroyed 609 mosques, partially damaged 211, and also destroyed three churches across Gaza since last Oct. 7, the start of the conflict.

Since Israel began its campaign against Gaza 10 months ago, dozens of countries and international humanitarian groups have decried the bombing of hospitals, civilian housing, and houses of worship – all places off limits to attacks under the rules of war.

Israel has continued its offensive on Gaza following a Hamas attack last Oct. 7 despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

The onslaught has resulted in over 40,200 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children, and over 93,000 injuries, according to local health authorities.

The ongoing blockade of Gaza has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, leaving much of the region in ruins.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over one million Palestinians had sought refuge before the area was invaded on May 6.