The refugee camp of Chati near Gaza rises on top of the ancient Hellenistic city of Anthedon, which has been under excavation by a joint French-Palestinian team since 1995.

The five-hectare site is one of the “greatest classical towns still to be fully excavated in Palestine”, says Jean-Baptiste Humbert, co-director of the dig.

Now archaeologists have unearthed a Greek house of around 200 BC with wall paintings that are a unique survival for this date, according to a report in Le Monde newspaper.

Archaeologists are concerned for the future of sites in Gaza as there is huge pressure to build in this narrow ribbon of land (365 sq.km) due to the annual 3% growth of the population.