Gaza’s largest bookshop destroyed by Israeli airstrikes

Gaza’s largest bookstore was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday. Established in 2008, the shop housed thousands of books, including the largest collection of English literature in Gaza, and was also part of a publishing house that focused on Palestinian writers.

Defending the attack, the Israeli military claimed that the strike was intended to destroy Hamas tunnels.

The two-story bookshop was built 21 years ago and was one of the Gaza Strip’s largest sellers of books for children, students, academics and anyone else who loved to read. He also printed books and published stories written by local authors.

“The books may be under rubble but that will not stop us,” writer Nada Abu Mideen told The National. “We will keep writing to show the world that we deserve life.”

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A GoFundMe has also been set up to help rebuild the store.

This wasn’t the only bookstore that was destroyed in Gaza this week. Others, including the Iqraa library, were also either completely or partially destroyed.

Bookstore owner Shaban Aslim can be seen holding back tears as he is interviewed in front of the rubble.

“The bookstore was like my soul,” said Mansour, 53, who was born in the Gaza Strip and said that he had built this bookstore by starving himself.