By the Blue Beach Resort

The Blue Beach Resort was a luxury beach resort hotel that opened in Gaza in the summer of 2015.

The hotel featured cabana boys serving clients on its private beach, and an Olympic-size swimming pool.[1] Guests stayed in 162 "chalet-style" rooms set in landscaped grounds with views of the Mediterranean.[2][3] It was part of the entertainment district along Al-Rashid Street in Gaza City that featured "dozens of new and modern resorts, chalets and coffee shops,"[4] other neighborhoods also had upscale shopping malls, apartment buildings, and entertainment venues.[5]

Blue Beach joined the five-star hotel Mashtal, built in 2011, at the high end of the Gaza luxury hotel market.[1]

The Washington Post described the hotel as one of a number of luxury businesses catering to wealthy Gazans.[1] According to economic analyst Nizar Sha’ban, “Most foreigners who visit the Strip and stay in its hotels are journalists, aid workers, UN and Red Cross staff."[4]

The Blue Beach resort hotel was built on the basis of an agreement signed with the Palestinian Ministry of Housing, based on the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) method. The agreement states that the Palestine Real Estate Investment Company (PRICO) is both the developer and the operator of the hotel for a period of 49 years, with an option to renew for another identical period, after which the property is transferred to the authorities.[6]

During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, dozens of Hamas militants fired anti-tank missiles at the Israeli forces from the hotel premises and its guest rooms. Fighters encountered Hamas militants and some of the militants were killed. During the battle, Israel Defense Forces discovered an underground infrastructure, which included seven shafts that led to tunnels, and inside of it the living rooms of Hamas militants. Many weapons were also found, including Kalashnikov rifles, various charges, and drones.[6][7] In addition, video footage[8] indicated that access to several tunnels was available from many guest corridors in the hotel.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Booth, William (25 August 2015). "Gaza Strip's middle class enjoyed spin classes, fine dining, private beaches". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  2. ^ Al-Mughrabi, Nidal (31 July 2015). "'Blue Beach' resort offered Gazans a glimpse of the good life". Al Arabiya. Reuters. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  3. ^ Burson, Tim (12 August 2015). "The Gaza Strip's Beautiful New Resort". Paste. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Israeli siege turns Gaza into resort city". Middle East Monitor. 14 September 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  5. ^ Collins, Liat (18 August 2016). "Pooling resources and last resorts". The Jerusalem Post.
  6. ^ a b c "כתם על תעשיית המלונות: ריזורט היוקרה בעזה שהפך לבסיס חמאס - וואלה! תיירות". וואלה! (in Hebrew). 2024-01-10. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  7. ^ Ynetnews (2024-01-05). "IDF uncovers and destroys Hamas tunnels under swanky Gaza beach resort". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
  8. ^ Hamas tunnels under a beach hotel: IDF locates and destroys seven tunnel shafts in Gaza Strip, retrieved 2024-01-11

31°32′44″N 34°27′14″E / 31.5455°N 34.4539°E / 31.5455; 34.4539

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