Israeli forces turn Gaza's second largest historical mosque into rubble

Israeli occupation forces have reportedly destroyed the Ibn Uthman Mosque in Gaza, the second largest historical mosque in the coastal enclave, according to Middle East Monitor.

The mosque, located in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of central Gaza City, was struck by several missiles fired from Israeli warplanes a week after a ruthless offensive on the area began.

Historians noted that the mosque was a significant archaeological site, dating back over 600 years, and served as proof of Gaza City's ancient history.

Residents of the Shuja'iyya affectionately refer to the Holy place as the "Great Mosque" due to its large size and central location in the main market.

The Ibn Uthman Mosque had a rich history as it had survived previous wars and served as a center of resistance during the First Intifada in 1987.

The mosque, which was built in the Mamluk style, was 2,000 square metres in size, of which 400 square metres is the area of ​​its main courtyard, and it had two gates overlooking the Shuja’iyya market.

Israel's war on Gaza has killed over 14,000 children and tens of thousands more have been injured.

The population of Gaza has decreased from 2.3 million to 2.1 million during the nine months of the Israeli military offensive in the coastal enclave, according to recent estimates by the UN humanitarian community.

At least 38,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since October 7.