Oct. 7 Gaza Envelope bomb shelters designated antiquities as safeguard against 'clean up' projects
Section 1 of the Antiquities Law (1978) grants the relevant minister the authority to declare locations or artifacts an "antiquity" should it have a distinct national historical value.
On the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, Israel's Heritage Ministry has designated the Gaza Envelope bomb shelters as "antiquities" under the country's Antiquities Law. This unprecedented decision, made following an appeal by bereaved families and former hostages, aims to safeguard the shelters from any attempts to alter or erase their historical significance.
The Antiquities Law, initially established to protect artifacts and sites created before the year 1,700, allows the relevant minister to designate locations or artifacts as antiquities if they possess a distinct national historical value. The Gaza Envelope bomb shelters, which served as makeshift shelters for Israelis during the Hamas invasion, have been declared antiquities to prevent any bureaucratic initiatives that could potentially destroy historical evidence.
However, the designation does not grant the state direct ownership of the shelters but rather provides them with legal protection against physical alterations without approval from the Heritage Ministry and the Israel Antiquities Authority. The decision was made by Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, who emphasized the importance of preserving the shelters as a testament to the heroism and loss experienced during the massacre.
The shelters, where hostages Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Aner Shapira, Eliya Cohen, and Or Levy sought refuge, will now serve as a reminder of the fortitude and bravery displayed during the tragedy.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
