Beit Lahia

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Beit Lahia
Arabic بيت لاهيا
بيت لاهية
Government City
Also Spelled Bayt Lahiya (officially)
Governorate North Gaza
Population 59,500 (2006)
Jurisdiction  dunams

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 1949 Armistice Line 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 55 m (180 ft) 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.

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[edit] Israeli-Palestinian conflict

[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.

[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.[1]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ 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