How one Swiss museum helped to evacuate thousands of Gaza artefacts ahead of an Israeli strike

The Geneva Museum of Art and History (MAH) coordinated a frantic evacuation of thousands of archaeological artefacts from Gaza’s main storage facility on 9 September, ahead of an Israeli strike that destroyed the Al-Kawthar residential tower housing the repository. The facility, operated by the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem (EBAF), contained finds from key sites including the fourth-century Saint Hilarion Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site. MAH staff, led by curator Béatrice Blandin, negotiated with Israeli authorities, Swiss diplomats, UNESCO, and the Aliph Foundation to secure a brief window for removal. Despite the operation, 30% of the artefacts—mostly ceramics and lapidary objects—could not be saved.