Al-Ankaa Library: a Gaza ‘First’

E. Mark Windle 2 August 2026.

(Image permissions: Omar Hamad / Al-Ankaa Library, Gaza)

Alongside Israeli occupation, civilian slaughter and the widespread destruction of residential property and public infrastructure, has been the erasure of Gaza’s cultural heritage. Since October 2023, over a 100 libraries (including the iconic 13th-century Great Omari Mosque Library) and archival centres have been destroyed. All the more remarkable then, that Al-Ankaa Library had its official opening in Gaza City earlier this year. Aptly named (Al-Ankaa translates as ‘phoenix’), this is the first library to be built in the midst of the genocide.

Cultural eradication

Systematic destruction of Palestinian identity, history, and collective memory through the targeting of heritage is nothing new. During the conflict, Israeli military strikes have destroyed over 200 historically important locations including ancient mosques, churches and museums. All of Gaza’s universities have also been damaged, including their libraries and book publishing houses.

Human rights groups argue the widespread devastation is not merely collateral damage but a deliberate attempt to erase evidence of Palestinian historical claims to the land. In part, this was South Africa’s basis for filing the genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

One of the main individuals responsible for the creation of Al-Ankaa Library is Omar Hamad, who survived thirteen displacements by order of the IDF. Throughout each journey Omar’s modest personal collection of books accompanied him. Operating from his tent in central Gaza, he offered a simple space consisting of around a hundred books for him and others to read, so that they could continue their education. It’s popularity and support spread the word, and later led to a funding campaign to secure a building in the Rimal district of Gaza City.

Rising of the Phoenix

With the help of friend Ibrahim and around 20 volunteers, work started on rennovating the building and conversion to a library space. The inventory was expanded with books retrieved from the ruins of university libraries and educational centres. Some literature was sourced from Al-Aqsa University—the same facility where IDF soldiers had filmed themselves torching books and rooms for social media ‘likes’.

A library to serve the community

Al-Ankaa Library now houses thousands of books and continues to grow. Already being referred to as a symbol of cultural revival, its aim is to preserve knowledge and history through the curation of works on Palestine studies and Judaism. Science, Law and Journalism textbooks also feature.

But Omar and Ibrahim are aiming even further. The intention is for Al-Ankaa to become a community focused cultural and educational hub that both children and adults can access and enjoy. A podcast studio and lecture series are also underway. In June, the library held its first cultural seminar and book study sessions with local writers and journalists. If an example is needed that Palestinian resilience, community cohesion and determination to preserve cultural identity still exist after all these years of brutal oppression, this is it.

The fund raising campaign continues to complete and stock the library. For more details and to support the efforts of Omar, Ibrahim and friends, please check out their donation page at Chuffed.org