GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — In cooperation with French antiquities experts, archaeology experts at the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in the Gaza Strip found several Byzantine graves at the St. Hilarion Monastery archaeological site in the western Gaza Strip.

The discovery of the graves came as part of a new phase of excavation work carried out by a French mission at the monastery site in early 2021 to uncover more secrets and collectibles and to work on restoring and preserving the remains of the monuments inside.

The site of St. Hilarion was discovered by chance by some Palestinian workers who collect scrap in that area in 1990. When the Israeli Antiquities Authority learned about it, it took control of the place and conducted excavations for years, before the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in 1994.

The Palestinians accuse Israel of stealing nearly 60% of the site’s antiquities, including large marble columns and gold and copper utensils that were used by the monks, which were transferred to the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, all the efforts of the French missions excavating at the site and the PA failed to convince Israel to return the stolen items.