The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Culture stated that 118 cultural workers were killed in the Gaza Strip during 2024.

A statement issued by the Central Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of Palestinian Culture Day, which falls on March 13th of each year, explained that the cultural sector in the Gaza Strip has been subjected to a process of annihilation and destruction carried out and is still being carried out by the Israeli occupation, which targeted landmarks of the Palestinian presence, including literary and artistic figures, cultural and heritage sites, centers, libraries, and museums. It also destroyed cultural sites registered internationally on the World Heritage List, including: the Balakhiya site and the Tell Umm Amer site, which is famous for its mosaic floor.

The statement noted that the West Bank governorates are witnessing a significant escalation in attacks targeting cultural institutions and their staff, leading to the cancellation of numerous events and significant damage to cultural infrastructure.

He pointed out that the number of cultural centers operating in the West Bank decreased from 510 in 2023 to 492 in 2024.

The number of cultural activities held in cultural centers in the West Bank in 2024 also increased slightly compared to the previous year, reaching 5,788 in 2024 compared to 5,477 in 2023. Courses, however, still hold the top spot among cultural activities held in cultural centers, accounting for approximately 72% of activities.

The number of participants in cultural activities implemented by cultural centers operating in the West Bank during 2024 amounted to approximately 217,000 male and female participants (of whom approximately 211,000 participated in cultural activities held in person (approximately 97%)).

The number of operating museums in the West Bank reached 26 in 2024, of which two declined to provide data. The number of visitors to the museums that provided data in the West Bank reached approximately 80,000 in 2024 (81% Palestinian and 19% of other nationalities). Data indicates that the highest number of visitors in 2024 was during April, reaching approximately 14,000 visitors, while the lowest number was during February, reaching approximately 3,000 visitors.

The number of plays performed in theaters in the West Bank fell by more than half in 2024 compared to the previous year. There were 15 operating theaters in the West Bank in 2024, including one theater that declined to provide data.

The statement continued: 159 plays were performed in West Bank theaters in 2024, including 98 plays for children, 11 plays for adults, and 50 plays for both children and adults. The number of viewers of the plays reached approximately 19,000, with the highest number of viewers reaching approximately 3,000 in November, while the lowest number was in January, reaching only 140 viewers.