Images show major damage to Gaza's oldest mosque

The mosque's damaged medieval walls are seen in footage verified by the BBC

Footage has emerged showing extensive damage to Gaza's oldest mosque, with Hamas accusing the Israeli military for bombing the site.

In the video, verified by the BBC, much of the Great Omari Mosque appears to be reduced to rubble, with only its minaret still intact.

Hamas officials accused Israel of committing a "heinous, barbaric crime". The Israeli military has not commented.

The mosque opened in the 7th Century on the site of a Byzantine church.

Located in Gaza City's old town, the mosque was destroyed several times in various conflicts and once by an earthquake, but was rebuilt each time.

It is named after Omar, Islam's second caliph.

Gaza's Hamas-run antiquities ministry has accused Israel of bombing the enclave's historical and archaeological sites, urging the UN's cultural agency Unesco to help protect such sites.

Israel has accused Hamas of using mosques, schools and other civilian infrastructure to hide its fighters.

The Omari mosque seen in March this year

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched its military operation in Gaza after a deadly Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October.

Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 240 taken hostage in the Hamas attack. A number of hostages were later released during a short-lived ceasefire.

Hamas says Israel has killed more than 17,177 people in its retaliatory campaign, including about 7,000 children.