Efforts are underway in Gaza City to salvage what remains of the territory's cultural heritage after nearly two years of war. At the ruins of the Great Omari Mosque, Gaza's oldest and largest mosque, Palestinian workers have been clearing and sorting stones dating back more than 1,200 years using basic tools. Only fragments of the mosque's minarets and a few of its external walls remain standing. Progress on the restoration project has been extremely slow, as Israel continues to restrict the entry of construction materials, even after nearly eight weeks of ceasefire. On a positive note, however, the project provides locals with more income. Palestinians have accused Israel of deliberately targeting heritage sites. But Israel denied, saying its strikes followed international law and targeted Hamas tools near or beneath these locations. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has verified damage to 145 religious, cultural and historical sites in Gaza since October 2023, raising fears of irreversible loss in a territory whose history spans more than 5,000 years and carries the imprint of numerous civilizations. Shotlist: Gaza Strip - Recent: 1. Various of ruins of Great Omari Mosque; 2. Various of workers clearing, sorting ancient stones; 3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Husni Al-Mazloom, manager, Great Omari Mosque restoration project (ending with shot 4): "The Great Omari Mosque represents the heart and soul of Gaza City, and Palestine as a whole. The value of these stones is not in their size, but in their deep and layered historical significance."; 4. Damaged stones on ground; 5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ayman Al-Balbisi, Palestinian historian (ending with shot 6): "During the war, it was not only people, trees, and buildings that were targeted, but also thousands of years of human history. Most historical sites in Gaza City were struck and destroyed in an attempt to erase the historical identity of Gaza's people."; 6. Various of ruins of Great Omari Mosque; 7. Various of workers clearing, sorting ancient stones; 8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ali Al-Qaloushi, construction worker: "Before working here, we were unemployed. When this opportunity became available for me and 20 other workers, it allowed us to provide for our families and cover basic needs. During the war, there was no work available for us at all."; 9. Books inside damaged Great Omari Mosque; 10. Various of stones; 11. Restoration project in progress. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]