Israel’s ‘Holiday Village’ in Gaza: The grotesque reality behind the genocide

A recent article published by The Palestine Chronicle exposes a deeply unsettling development in Gaza – the establishment of an Israeli “holiday village” on land devastated by Israel’s military assault.

The piece, titled “Israel’s Holiday Village in Gaza: The Grotesque Reality Behind the Genocide,” sheds light on the shocking appropriation of Palestinian land for leisure and tourism, while Gaza’s population endures one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history.

Turning Palestinian trauma into tourism

According to The Palestine Chronicle, the so-called holiday village is being constructed near Jabalia, in the decimated northern Gaza, where countless Palestinians have been displaced, injured, or killed. This development represents not only a disregard for Palestinian suffering but also an alarming act of erasure—replacing destroyed Palestinian communities with entertainment facilities.

Israel’s holiday village for stressed-out soldiers serves breakfasts of iced espresso coffee, toast, flavoured drinks, and shakes. Breakfast is followed by a barbecue lunch and dinner, with Belgian waffles, fresh pretzels, and meringues served up with coffee in the cafe afterward. In the meantime, just a few minutes away, children are dying of cold and hunger, being shot by snipers and torn to shreds by missiles and tank shells.

We would not be surprised if this facility is turned into an Israeli civilian facility in the future.

For Israel, Gaza’s destruction is an opportunity for profit and recreation. We already know about Israel exploiting the natural gas reserves of Gaza under the guise of war. This ‘holiday village’ project highlights how such projects deepen the dehumanisation of Palestinians, reducing their tragedy to a footnote in Israel’s expansionist policies.

This development is part of a broader pattern of settler-colonialism and ethnic cleansing. It reflects Israel’s long-standing strategy of transforming occupied territories into symbols of conquest—obliterating Palestinian identity while normalising their dispossession.

Read the full story

The establishment of this leisure site occurs amidst ongoing international scrutiny of Israel’s actions in Gaza. The International Court of Justice has already issued provisional measures addressing Israel’s military actions, highlighting the potential for violations of the Genocide Convention. Yet, as this article illustrates, Israel continues to act with impunity, emboldened by international inaction.

This development is a stark reminder of the urgent need for accountability and justice for Palestinians. The construction of a holiday village in Gaza is not only a moral affront but a direct assault on Palestinian identity and dignity.

We urge readers to explore the full article on The Palestine Chronicle here better to understand the extent of this injustice and its implications.

The grotesque transformation of Gaza’s tragedy into a tourist attraction must not go unchallenged.