A general view of Beach refugee camp showing the erosion of the shore and new vertical wave breakers placed inside the sea in Gaza City July 26, 2022. Picture: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM
But officials, residents of beach areas and experts fear the concrete barricades may not stand another stormy winter and that high waves could cause the collapse of the coastal road and threaten homes. Thabit said proper long-lasting intervention — vertical wave breakers and retaining walls along all or at least the most at risk parts of the coast — could cost about $150m and called for help from international donors., Gaza is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with a population of 2.3-million Palestinians, most of them live in refugee camps, some facing the ocean.
With Gaza’s land borders tightly controlled by neighbouring Israel and Egypt, the seaside is a precious resource for people looking to escape their day-to-day stresses.