Dozens of Palestinian workers in hard hats have started clearing rubble from Gaza's oldest and largest mosque, the Great Omari Mosque. The mosque’s octagonal minaret and some walls remain after two years of war with Israel. Since the ceasefire began almost eight weeks ago, teams have sorted stones but can’t restore the site due to shortages and restrictions on bringing construction materials into Gaza. "The challenges we face are first of all scarcity of resources - iron and construction materials," said Hosni al-Mazloum, an engineer from the cultural heritage group Riwaq. Nearby, Hanin al-Amsi leads a team saving rare Islamic manuscripts recovered from the mosque’s 13th Century library. She called their effort "like first aid for the manuscripts." Despite war damage, 148 out of 228 manuscripts survived thanks to pre-war preservation work. Some are in good shape while others are torn or burnt. The library’s archive, with important Ottoman records, was totally burned. Palestinians accuse Israel of targeting heritage sites, which Israel denies, blaming Hamas tunnels instead. UNESCO confirmed damage to 145 cultural sites in Gaza since October 7, 2023, but local groups say the damage is worse. Gaza’s rich history spans over 5,000 years and many cultures. Another team is clearing debris at the 800-year-old Pasha's Palace, an important historic fortress turned museum, badly damaged in the fighting. Many artifacts there were crushed or looted. Restoration work is a rare source of local jobs and is supported by organizations like the Geneva-based Aliph Foundation, which donated $700,000. The British Council is helping assess damage to plan future work. However, archaeologists say they cannot reach many key sites still under Israeli control. While uncertainty looms, starting work to save Gaza's heritage offers a small spark of hope for the people.