91�鶹������Ʒ����

Paris, 18 December 2023 – The UNESCO intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954 Hague Convention) has decided on 14 December to grant “provisional enhanced protection” to Saint Hilarion monastery complex, located south bank of Wadi Gaza.

The ruins of Saint Hilarion are one of the oldest monasteries in the Middle East and bear a unique exceptional testimony to the emergence of Christianity in the region. The site is currently guarded under the direct supervision of the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

To prevent any threat to this site, the UNESCO Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, meeting on 14 December, has decided to grant “provisional enhanced protection” - the highest level of immunity established by the 1954 Hague Convention and its Second Protocol.

UNESCO calls for the protection of cultural heritage

UNESCO is deeply concerned about the impact of the ongoing fighting on cultural heritage. In the Gaza Strip, UNESCO was already concerned about the state of conservation of sites, before October 7, due to the lack of adequate policies to protect heritage and culture.

While priority is rightly given to the humanitarian situation, the protection of cultural heritage in all its forms must also be taken into account. In accordance with its mandate, UNESCO calls on all parties involved to strictly respect international law. Cultural property should not be targeted or used for military purposes, as it is considered to be civilian infrastructure.

The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954), ratified by Palestine and Israel, stipulates in particular that States undertake “to respect cultural property situated within their own territory as well as within the territory of other High Contracting Parties by refraining from any use of the property and its immediate surroundings or of the appliances in use for its protection for purposes which are likely to expose it to destruction or damage in the event of armed conflict; and by refraining from any act of hostility, directed against such property”.

Also as part of its mandate, 91�鶹������Ʒ���� been monitoring remotely the impact of the conflict on cultural heritage in the Gaza Strip and in the region, relying on satellite data and information transmitted by UNITAR/UNOSAT. This information remains to be verified and complemented though a more thorough assessment on the ground.