Israeli Military Action has Caused Catastrophic Destruction of Gaza’s Cultural Heritage, Amounting to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity – PEN America

Report on the Destruction of Cultural and Educational Heritage in Gaza and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction and Summary of Findings

A report by PEN America, titled All That Is Lost, documents the widespread destruction of cultural, historical, religious, and educational sites in Gaza by the Israeli military. The findings suggest these actions constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and offer evidence of genocidal intent. This destruction represents a catastrophic blow to Palestinian cultural life and heritage, directly undermining several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning education, sustainable communities, and peace and justice.

Impact on SDG 4: Quality Education

The attacks have systematically dismantled the educational infrastructure in Gaza, directly contravening the objectives of SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The specific impacts include:

• The complete or partial destruction of every university and college in Gaza.
• The displacement of at least 90,000 students from higher education.
• The killing of at least 105 academics.
• The destruction of critical knowledge repositories, including:
  • The Gaza Public Library, which housed 10,000 books.
  • The three-story Samir Mansour bookstore.
  • At least eight publishing houses and printing presses.

Impact on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The destruction of cultural heritage directly violates Target 11.4 of SDG 11, which calls for strengthening efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural heritage. The report documents the obliteration of sites that embody the identity and history of the Palestinian people.

• Hundreds of heritage sites and historical buildings have been destroyed.
• Emergency preservation costs are estimated to exceed €31.2 million.
• Specific sites damaged or destroyed include:
  • The 7th-century Great Omari Mosque and its 13th-century library.
  • The historic Hammam al-Samra.
  • 1,500-year-old Byzantine mosaics.
  • The Al-Qarara Cultural Museum.
• The report notes two cases of reported looting of archaeological artifacts.

Implications for SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The actions detailed in the report challenge the core principles of SDG 16, which promotes peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice for all, and effective, accountable institutions. The deliberate and indiscriminate nature of the attacks undermines international law and the institutions designed to uphold it.

• The report calls for the widespread cultural destruction to be investigated as war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Israeli military.
• It also calls for investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity by Hamas, including its use of civilian infrastructure.
• The conduct violates international law, including the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property, which obliges states to protect cultural property from damage or destruction.
• The destruction of these institutions erodes the foundations of a functioning civil society, hindering future prospects for peace and justice.

Recommendations and Call to Action for SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Achieving the SDGs requires global partnership and cooperation. The report issues several calls to action directed at the international community to address the crisis and support recovery efforts in line with SDG 17.

1. The Israeli government must immediately end its attacks on Palestinian cultural heritage and observe its international law obligations.
2. The U.S. government should immediately halt all transfers of offensive weapons to Israel until it can be ensured they will not be used to commit war crimes or gross human rights violations.
3. An immediate ceasefire must be implemented to allow for the recovery of Gaza’s cultural sector.
4. International partners should provide direct funding to Palestinian cultural organizations and support programs for writers, artists, and scholars affected by the war, with a focus on local leadership and the protection of cultural rights.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights issues directly connected to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis reveals strong links to the following goals:

• SDG 4: Quality Education – The article explicitly details the complete destruction of Gaza’s higher education infrastructure.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – A central theme of the article is the destruction of cultural heritage, which is a key component of sustainable and inclusive communities.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – The article is framed around the context of war, violations of international law, violence against civilians, and the call for accountability and peace.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the specific issues discussed, the following SDG targets can be identified:

1. SDG 4: Quality Education

   • Target 4.3: Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university. The article states that “Israel’s military forces have also partly or completely destroyed every university and college in Gaza, leaving at least 90,000 students unable to complete their education,” directly showing the complete failure to meet this target due to the destruction of infrastructure.
   • Target 4.7: Ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development. The destruction of libraries, universities, and cultural centers, along with the killing of academics, fundamentally undermines the capacity to provide this type of education.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage. The article’s core focus is on the violation of this target. It details the “widespread destruction of Gaza’s cultural sites, libraries, museums, and universities,” and lists specific examples such as the “Great Omari Mosque,” “Hammam al-Samra,” “1,500-year-old Byzantine mosaics,” and the “Al-Qarara Cultural Museum.”

3. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article provides stark figures on the failure to meet this target, stating that as of September 10, 2025, “nearly 65,000 Palestinians—men, women, and children—have been killed, and more than 163,000 wounded.”
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. The article repeatedly calls for accountability for actions described as “war crimes and crimes against humanity” and references international law, such as the “1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property,” highlighting a breakdown in the rule of law and the need for justice.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure the impact on the identified targets:

1. Indicators for SDG 4 (Quality Education)

   • Number of destroyed educational institutions: The article states that “every university and college in Gaza” has been destroyed.
   • Number of students affected: It specifies that “at least 90,000 students [are] unable to complete their education.”
   • Number of academics killed: The text notes that “at least 105 academics have been killed.”

2. Indicators for SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

   • Number of cultural sites damaged or destroyed: The report examines the “destruction or partial destruction of 36 cultural, historical, religious, and educational sites.” It also notes that “hundreds of heritage sites and historical buildings in Gaza have been destroyed.”
   • Number of libraries and bookshops destroyed: Specific examples include the “total destruction of the Gaza Public Library, which housed 10,000 books” and the damage to the “Samir Mansour bookstore which contained thousands of books.”
   • Financial cost of damage: An indicator of the scale of destruction is the estimated cost for preservation, which “will exceed €31.2 million (approximately $36.4 million).”

3. Indicators for SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

   • Conflict-related deaths and injuries: The article provides precise figures: “nearly 65,000 Palestinians—men, women, and children—have been killed, and more than 163,000 wounded.” This directly measures progress (or lack thereof) for Target 16.1.
   • Number of cultural figures killed: A specific indicator of the impact on civil society is the documentation of “the deaths of 151 Palestinian cultural figures since October 7, 2023.”
   • Reported violations of international law: The article’s entire premise is based on documenting actions that amount to “war crimes and crimes against humanity,” serving as a qualitative indicator of the breakdown of justice and strong institutions.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: pen.org