The Israeli military has built a “beachside resort” on the coast of the northern Gaza Strip where IDF soldiers occupying the Palestinian territory can relax and take a break from waging a genocidal war.
According to the Israeli news site Ynet, the “retreat” was built alongside a water desalination plant that provides 60,000 liters of drinking water per day. At the resort, IDF soldiers can enjoy a cafe, hotel-style meals, massages, and hot showers and have access to mental health support and medical services.
“You know this is Gaza, right? Yet we’ve created a sense of home here, with iced coffee, espresso, protein shakes, toast, shakshuka, fresh fruit, and even ice cream on warmer days,” Chief Warrant Officer David Turjeman, the head of food services for IDF’s southern command, told Ynet. One soldier said each platoon gets a day at the resort every 10 days.
The Ynet report said the IDF has built similar “refreshment centers” elsewhere in Gaza, but they don’t match the “scope and quality” of this one. The construction of such facilities is the latest sign that Israel is planning for a long-term military occupation of Gaza and is not interested in a hostage deal with Hamas that would lead to a permanent ceasefire.
“The facility’s deployment reflects our readiness for prolonged operations, even if a ceasefire is reached in the context of a hostage exchange,” said Col. Michael Azulai, a logistics officer for the Southern Command.
The Israeli military has been demolishing buildings and establishing military outposts across Gaza, mainly in the Netzarim Corridor, which separates northern Gaza from the rest of the Strip, but also in the south along the Philadelphi Corridor and in a “buffer zone” along the entire Israel-Gaza border.
In the North Gaza Governorate, Israeli troops have been conducting an ethnic cleansing campaign and demolishing buildings so Palestinian civilians have nowhere to return. The destruction and establishment of military bases will likely lead to Jewish settlements in Gaza, an idea supported by many Israeli ministers and Knesset members.
