Palestine: Cafes in blockaded Gaza let people time travel to Dubai, Maldives and many other dream cities

'Dream destination' cafes offer taste of paradise in blockaded Gaza strip

Last updated: August 20, 2020 | 14:16

Nilanjana G. Javed, Editorial Liaison Manager

2 MIN READ

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Mediterranean waves crash below patrons snacking on freshly-caught fish at the “Maldive Gaza” cafe, offering a glimpse of paradise to Palestinians confined to the blockaded strip.

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Palestinian families sit at "Maldive Gaza" cafe on a beach in Gaza City.

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Many of Gaza’s 2 million Palestinians have never left the 360 sq km (140 sq mile) enclave, which Israel and Egypt have largely blockaded for years citing security concerns over its Islamist rulers Hamas.

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It is one of several new seaside cafes bearing the names of dream travel destinations such as 'Marbella', 'Dubai' and 'Sharm Al-Sheikh' among them.

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“The people of Gaza can’t go to the Maldives, so we said to ourselves: Why don’t we bring the Maldives to them?” said Emad Al-Bayya, co-owner of the cafe, which seats 1,200 and which he hopes to expand.

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They offer a brief window onto a more exotic life to people “who have been subject to wars, pressures and blockades”, said Rola Al-Agha, one of hundreds of patrons packed into “Maldive Gaza” on a pleasantly breezy evening last week.

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Gaza has had no COVID-19 cases among the general public, and there are few curbs on social interactions.

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The new three-storey restaurant, protruding 15 metres over the rocky shoreline, also features the tropical juice drinks typical of the distant Indian ocean island after which it is named.

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A Palestinian boy walks at "Maldive Gaza" cafe on a beach in Gaza City.

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