Sat Dec 14 15:43:07 UTC 2024: ## Gaza’s Libraries Burn: A Cultural Genocide in Plain Sight
**Gaza City, Palestine** – The systematic destruction of libraries across the Gaza Strip over the past 400 days represents a devastating attack not only on infrastructure but on Palestinian identity and the very spirit of learning, according to a poignant first-person account published today. The author, Shahd, recounts her childhood love for the Maghazi Library, a cherished space that instilled in her a lifelong passion for reading. This personal connection underscores the wider tragedy of the destruction of at least 13 public libraries, with the true extent of the damage – including university and private libraries – yet unknown.
Among the casualties are prominent institutions like the Al-Aqsa University library and the Islamic University of Gaza library, where Shahd herself studied. The Edward Said Library, the first English-language library in Gaza, established after the 2014 war, has also been destroyed. This latest wave of destruction follows a pattern of targeting cultural institutions designed to erase Palestinian history and hinder future generations’ access to knowledge.
The destruction extends beyond physical buildings; it targets the deeply ingrained Palestinian culture of learning and literacy. Books, once highly valued despite limited access and Israeli restrictions, are now tragically used as fuel for fires in some homes struggling with poverty and exorbitant energy costs.
Despite the immense losses, hope remains. Shahd’s beloved Maghazi Library, though threatened, still stands, its books preserved through local efforts. Its survival, and the resilience of the Palestinian spirit, offers a powerful symbol of resistance and a testament to the enduring strength of knowledge in the face of adversity. The author expresses confidence that, when the violence ends, Gaza’s libraries will rise again, standing as beacons of resilience and a renewed commitment to learning and cultural preservation.
First Piper 