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.
This story matters because it highlights the escalating threat to cultural heritage in conflict zones and the critical role of international museums in emergency preservation. The MAH’s two-decade relationship with Gaza, stemming from a 2007 exhibition that left over 500 objects stranded in Geneva after Hamas’s takeover, positioned it uniquely to act. The evacuation underscores the fragility of archaeological treasures in war-torn regions and raises urgent questions about the protection of cultural property under international law, especially when military operations target civilian infrastructure containing irreplaceable historical artifacts.