A team of archaeologists from the Iwan Center for Cultural Heritage at the Islamic University's Faculty of Engineering launched an initiative in July to restore ancient abandoned houses in Old Gaza in the eastern Gaza Strip, and transform some of them into cultural centers that serve the community. The initiative mainly aims to preserve these houses that date back to the Ottoman era, from demolition and decay.

The Iwan Center for Cultural Heritage that specializes in protecting antiquities is one of the few local entities that has recently launched several campaigns to preserve abandoned archaeological sites in Gaza.

A team of engineers, technicians and workers specialized in the field of documentation within the Iwan Center have been exerting concerted efforts to preserve cultural heritage in the Gaza Strip by leveraging their knowledge of the basics of restoration of old buildings.

The center's interest in searching for and restoring ancient houses stems from its keenness to preserve the historical memory of Gaza and highlight its urban character, amid a declining interest by the concerned authorities in the value of ancient houses.