Israeli forces seize minaret after destroying mosque in Gaza’s Jabalia camp

Footage released on social media this week showed the destruction of a mosque and looting of its minaret during an Israeli raid in northern Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp, sparking outrage online over the continued targeting of yet another place of worship in Gaza.

Palestinian journalist Younis Tirawi shared on X a series of footage, reportedly taken during an Israeli forces raid and shared on the Instagram account of one of the soldiers.

The Instagram Stories post showed Monday's attack by Israeli forces on the Jabalia refugee camp, which included destroying a mosque located within the same complex as the camp, as well as the looting of the mosque's minaret crescent.  

"What the hell? Looting crescents of mosque minarets as souvenirs!" Tirawi wrote on X. 

The video, reportedly posted by the Israeli soldier himself, featured a caption in Hebrew that was translated as: "We will leave no trace of them," and showed the demolition of the mosque. 

An accompanying photograph showed an Israeli soldier holding the crescent from the mosque's minaret.  

The New Arab was unable to independently verify the identity of the mosque that was reportedly destroyed.  

In a detailed report issued last week, the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments highlighted the devastating impact on Gaza’s religious and cultural sites over the past year.  

The report revealed that since the start of the Israeli bombardment on October 7, 2023, at least 611 mosques and three churches have been destroyed, with 214 mosques suffering partial damage. 

It further said that 79 percent of Gaza's mosques had been demolished, emphasising the broader assault on the enclave's religious and cultural identity. 

According to Al Jazeera, an Israeli strike targeted a house in the Jabalia refugee camp, killing at least four people.  

Reports from Monday detailed that the Israeli army launched a major military offensive in Jabalia's al-Faluja neighbourhood, planning multiple attacks and using explosives to destroy buildings.  

Dozens of families were trapped due to the ongoing Israeli siege of northern Gaza, with many unable to evacuate the wounded. 

On his account on X, Younis Tirawi also shared additional footage reportedly taken from the same Instagram page, though it was unclear whether the same unidentified soldier posted it. 

The videos show further acts of violence, including vandalising a Palestinian home and destroying a box of humanitarian aid.  

"Thank you so much for the donation, [Palestinian] Islamic Jihad," one Israeli soldier was heard proclaiming in another circulated video. 

Meanwhile, another soldier brandished a knife, used as a weapon, and boasted about his actions, saying, "So much blood on the knife, so much blood on the knife, my dear bro!"  

Gaza's civil defence agency has reported that at least 69 people have lost their lives in the ongoing military operation in Jabalia, with many individuals still trapped beneath the rubble of bombed-out homes. 

 For over ten days, Jabalia has been at the centre of an Israeli offensive, with troops returning to areas in the north that experienced intense bombardment earlier in the year during the ongoing war. 

 This military operation has heightened fears among Palestinians and United Nations agencies that Israel aims to displace residents from the northern part of the densely populated enclave, a claim that Israeli officials have categorically denied.  

Local residents have reported the destruction of dozens of homes in the past ten days alone. 

On Tuesday, the United Nations human rights office expressed concern, stating that the Israeli military appears to be effectively isolating northern Gaza from the rest of the territory. 

 According to figures from the health ministry in Gaza, the Israeli military offensive has resulted in the deaths of 42,344 individuals, the majority of whom are civilians.