Editing Openai/680fb62a-7c94-8002-8f67-b9a2a8c7c7ef (section)

==== Early Bronze Age Gaza thrived at the crossroads of civilizations; today’s Gaza lies at the crossfire of conflict – with grave consequences for heritage. Tell el-Ajjul, like many sites in the Gaza Strip, faces ongoing risks. Urban expansion has encroached: satellite images show new buildings and roads near the mound’s periphery. Agricultural leveling led to parts of the site being bulldozed in past decades (the flat top of the tell today contrasts with its taller profile in 1930s photos). More alarmingly, modern warfare has directly damaged sites. During conflicts in the 2010s, shelling and airstrikes in the area caused craters on Tell el-Ajjul. In 2023–2024, intensified violence in Gaza raised fears that Ajjul and other tells could be inadvertently hit or intentionally targeted by looters amid chaos. ====

Local authorities and communities have made heroic efforts to safeguard these sites. The Department of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage (Gaza), despite minimal resources, carried out emergency backfilling – re-burying exposed archaeological remains under sand to protect them from damage. Tell el-Ajjul was re-buried after the early 2000s excavations and planted over, as a form of protective camouflage. This ironically echoes ancient practices (the site was abandoned and left to nature once before, around 1200 BCE). In conflict situations, site guards attempt to watch over the area, but their ability is limited.

International bodies like UNESCO have begun damage assessments. A 2023 UNESCO report included Tell el-Ajjul among Gaza’s affected heritage sites. They recommend integrating cultural site maps into no-strike lists and providing training to military personnel about these locations’ significance. Meanwhile, scholars abroad have crowdsourced high-resolution satellite imagery to monitor changes to Gaza’s sites in near real-time – a form of remote “first response.”

Public awareness is crucial too. Projects like this dossier and digital package serve not only academics but also the public, to emphasize that Gaza’s identity is not solely defined by modern strife, but also by its rich 5,000-year history as a meeting point of cultures. By highlighting Tell el-Ajjul’s story – prosperous, cosmopolitan, and yet vulnerable – we advocate for its protection. As one Gazan scholar poignantly noted, “Everything beautiful has been destroyed” in recent wars, but through concerted effort, Ajjul’s legacy can be preserved for future generations.

(All location data and maps here omit sensitive coordinate details in compliance with heritage protection standards. Precise information is available in the confidential scholarly appendix for authorized researchers. The aim is to prevent misuse of archaeological site coordinates while still sharing general knowledge.)