St. Hilarion's monastery, a reminder of the time in late antiquity when Christianity was the dominant faith in what is now the Gaza Strip, is one of many archaeological treasures scattered across this coastal territory. [...] Gaza is one of the most crowded places on earth, and the rapid spread of its urban sprawl is endangering sites spanning 4,500 years, from Bronze Age ramparts to colorful Byzantine mosaics, experts say. Not only does the territory have a high birth rate, but since the Islamic militant Hamas group seized Gaza in 2007, construction has often been interrupted by shortages in building materials caused by border blockades enforced by Israel and Egypt. Ecole Biblique, the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO and students from Gaza's Islamic University have tried to help. After Hamas seized Gaza from its political rival, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, most of the civil servants at the time stayed away from their jobs. Employees hired by the Antiquities Ministry after 2007 don't have enough experience, said the deputy minister, Mohammed Khella, adding that some of the archaeological sites in Gaza are "in very bad condition." UNESCO has given some money, but "funds needed to complete the emergency measures to put the site in safety are not available," said Junaid Sorosh-Wali, from the Ramallah office of UNESCO, the office responsible for the works in Gaza. An official at the university said that it received full approval from the government before starting construction, and that the building was monitored by the municipality.
Reported by SeattlePI.com 1 hour ago.
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