Gaza/Nawa Network-Filastiniyat:
In Gaza City's upscale Al-Rimal neighborhood, Al-Jundi Al-Majhol square stood as a testament to the pulse of daily life for Palestinians living under siege.
Before this war started on 7 October 2023, this neighborhood was a sanctuary for citizens who were grappling with poverty, soaring prices, and an Israeli blockade that had persisted for more than 18 years.
People are gathering with their families or friends, breathing in the city air, surrounded by carefully trimmed trees and vibrant blossoms, eating traditional sweets, and entertaining their children with simple amusements like toy cars adorned with lights and other decorations designed to attract children.
Now, Al-Remal neighborhood has nothing because the war is taking its souls. The light street and the shops lining both sides of the square. There is no family hasn’t tasted the pain of loss, after the occupation killed one of their loved ones. Family gatherings have faded away, and even the sound of laughter has changed.
During one and a half years of the war in Gaza City, Al-Rmal neighborhood has been subjected to three ground incursions by the Israeli military, relentless aerial bombardment, and bulldozing that erased even the tiniest traces of beauty that once remained.
For long years away, Yassin Al-Saftwi has made a strong connection with this place. He goes every day to open his shop for clothes and perfume. He comes from Al-Shahkrdwan, the center of the city.
He said for "nawa":" I come every day to my shop. For years, spending a lot of hours in my shop that looked out onto the square- a view I had grown attached to from morning to evening had become a familiar part of my life. Sometimes, I can not find any time to eat my lunch because the shop is always crowded with customers, but now the situation has become unbearable. "
Consumer activity has declined unusually after the Israeli occupation altered the features of the area, and destruction took over everywhere. Al-Saftawi is training to repair his small shop and restore the damages, but all efforts are lost with the first bombing done by the Israeli occupation near his shop, as he added.
"The old man is 45 years old, and has limited work time to a few hours during the day, as he has no source of power to turn on the light in the shop at night. Moreover, the economic situation is extremely difficult for people, and this prevents them from frequenting the markets much." He adds.
He adds, "Moreover, the merchandise I have in my shop is stock, and that's what survived the devastation left by the war and bombing of the building adjacent to my shop. And it’s a reason the customer didn’t find their requests."
Before the war, "Al-Jundi Al-Majhol" square was the center of Gaza City, is daily attracts thousands of citizens, who either passed through it or came to sit under its green trees' shade."
Basma darwish said," For a long time, this square has been my favorite place for relaxing and spending time with my friends, but now there is nothing; all the beautiful things are destroyed."
And she added:" I can't believe this area is being like that, it's just a heap of war rubble."
The man, Mohammed Bakr, who is a street coffee vendor, said for "Nawa" about his difficult struggles. I was standing here daily and selling coffee to passersby, but the place and the expressions of the people have changed. There is no smiling face, no relaxing face, and no money for purchases either."
Al-Jundi Al-Majhol Square was named after the monument dedicated to the unknown, which was destroyed by the Israeli war machine at the beginning of the wars. And that led the Gaza Municipality to state condemnation, as the targeting struck the most important historical landmarks in Gaza city.
According to the municipality's statement, the Unknown Soldier monument was built in 1956 and symbolizes the sacrifices of both the Palestinian and Egyptian peoples in defending their national rights.
The statement added that both the Al-Jundi Garden and the monument are cultural and civilizational landmarks, and their destruction falls within the broader Israeli aggression, which led to the killing of tens of thousands of civilians. The statement called on UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and the World Environmental Organization to condemn the occupation's violations.
The Israeli targeting is not just for Al-Jundi Al-Majhol, it has extended to many important areas in the Rimal neighborhood that have a square in their center.
According to the late Palestinian historian Salim Al-Mubayyid, one of the oldest and most prestigious neighborhoods in Gaza is Al-Remal. Its construction began during the era of Fahmy Bey Al-Husseini, who served as the head of Gaza Municipality in the 20th century.
The Rimal neighborhood was originally a sandy area. Al-Husseini sought to develop it by dividing it into separate plots of land, with each plot of land covering one dunum (1,000 square meters), and each plot of land had 3 Egyptian pounds. He attempted to appeal to various social classes, and the idea was well received by the employees' sector, who eagerly embraced it.
Al-Husseini is known as a distinguished national and legal figure. He studied law in Istanbul and became the head of the municipality on May 5, 1928, and he is the first to hold this position through elections, along with 11 members of the municipal council, according to the Gaza Municipality website.
The Al-Husseini aimed to build and develop the Al-Remal was driven by concerns raised about the possibility of the British colonial authorities establishing settlements in the same area, according to historian Al-Mubayyid. While he dividing the land into half-dunum and then he was selling them on installment plans, he granted land ownership to as many citizens as possible. His idea was successful at the time, and a large number of Palestinian employees in Gaza were able to own land.
Since then, the Rimal neighborhood experienced significant redevelopment, becoming the most prestigious residential and commercial area in Gaza, until the Israeli war came and reduced it to rubble and destruction.
