Al-Atatra Explained

Al-Atatra
العطاطرة
Settlement Type:Suburb
Official Name:Atatreh
Pushpin Map:Palestine Gaza
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Gaza Strip
Pushpin Mapsize:250
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Governorate
Subdivision Name1:North Gaza Governorate
Subdivision Type2:City
Subdivision Name2:Beit Lahiya
Unit Pref:Metric
Population Blank1 Title:Ethnicities
Population Blank2 Title:Religions
Timezone:EET
Utc Offset:+2
Timezone Dst:+3
Coordinates:31.5578°N 34.4867°W

Al-Atatra (Arabic: العطاطرة) is a northwestern neighborhood in the city of Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip.[1] Its residents, the majority of whom are farmers or landowners are not Palestinian refugees, unlike most of the population in the Gaza Strip, including Beit Lahiya. A major cash crop in al-Atatra are strawberries which were mainly exported to Israel and the West Bank before Israel's siege of the Gaza Strip following the territory's control by Hamas, a Palestinian paramilitary and political organization.[2]

Israel considers al-Atatra a political stronghold of Hamas. Al-Atatra was the target of assaults by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during the Gaza War in 2008 - 09. At least 16 civilians were reported killed, including five who belonged to the same family, during the first few days of the war. Between 40 and 50 houses were destroyed as well.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Israel and the Occupied Territories, Indiscriminate Fire Palestinian Rocket Attacks on Israel and Israeli Artillery Shelling in the Gaza Strip. Human Rights Watch. 2009. p.72.
  2. [Taghreed El-Khodary|El-Khodary, Taghreed]