Issam al-Daalis

Restored Byzantine church re-opens in Gaza

The remains of a fifth century Byzantine church were unveiled in Gaza on Jan. 24 following a three-year restoration project, with the strip's Hamas Islamist rulers touting an embrace of their "Christian brothers."

The remains of a church and monastery were first discovered in Jabalia, a city in northern Gaza, in 1997 over an area spanning roughly 800 square meters.