Beit Lahia

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Beit Lahia (Arabic: بيت لاهيا or بيت لاهية‎) is a town under Palestinian Authority of about 40,000 people in the northern Gaza Strip. It is located north of Jabalia, near Beit Hanoun and the border with Israel. Hamas, an Islamic party, took control of it during the 2005 municipal elections.

The word “Lahia” is Syriac and means “desolate” or “tiresome”. It is surrounded by sand dunes, some rise to 55m above sea level. The area is renowned for its many large Sycamore trees. The Israeli settlements of Nisanit, Elei Sinai, and Dugit that were in close proximity to Beit Lahia were evacuated during August 2005.

Contents 1 2005 killings 2 2006 killings 3 External links 4 References

[edit] 2005 killings

On January 4 2005 seven civilian residents of Beit Lahia, including six members of the same family, were killed when an IDF tank shell hit the agricultural area where they were working. The killed civilians were:^[1][2]

• Hani Mohammed Kamel Ghaben, 17
• Mohammed Hassan Mousa Ghaben, 17
• Rajeh Ghassan Kamel Ghaben, 10
• Jaber 'Abdullah Ghaben, 16
• Bassam Kamel Mohammed Ghaben, 17
• Mahmoud Kamel Mouhammed Ghaben, 12
• Jibril 'Abdul Fattah al-Kaseeh, 16

[edit] 2006 killings

Main article: Gaza beach blast

On June 9, 2006, eight civilians were killed while picnicking on the northern Gazan beach in Beit Lahia. The dead included seven members of the Ali Ghaliya family.^[3]

[edit] External links

• Palestinian National Information Centre

[edit] References

1. ^ UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: OCHA Weekly Briefing Notes Update for oPt, January 4, 2005
2. ^ American Educational Trust (Washington, DC): Remember These Children — January 2005, November 1, 2006
3. ^ The Guardian: Death on the beach: seven Palestinians killed as Israeli shells hit family picnic, June 10, 2006

Coordinates: 31°32′N 34°30′E