Al Qarya as Suwaydiya (Arabic: القرية السويدية), known as Swedish village, was a village situated near Egypt–Gaza border in the Rafah Governorate, Gaza Strip. The village was often nicknamed "forgotten" due to the lack of basic services.[2] It was destroyed during the Rafah offensive as part of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip in 2024.
Al Qarya as Suwaydiya | |
---|---|
Arabic transcription(s) | |
• Arabic | القرية السويدية |
• Latin | Al Qarya as Suwaydiya (official) |
Location of Al Qarya as Suwaydiya within Palestine | |
Coordinates: 31°19′24″N 34°13′15″E / 31.32333°N 34.22083°E | |
State | State of Palestine |
Governorate | Rafah |
Founded | 1965 |
Destroyed | 2024 |
Government | |
• Type | Village council |
Population (2023) | |
• Total | 1,300[1] |
History
editAl Qarya as Suwaydiya was founded in 1965 with Swedish and international troops' assistance for the Palestinian refugees who were compelled to move from their homes in 1948. In 1982, several houses in the village were razed to expand the border strip.[3][4] In 1997, the village had population of 568.[5]
Al Qarya as Suwaydiya was proposed to be demolished because of the Al-Rashid road construction plan, which will pass the village, yet the villagers rejected that proposal.[2] The village was destroyed during the Rafah offensive as part of the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip in 2024.[6]
Economy
editThe villagers heavily depended on the fishing sector. However, the residents endured economic hardship from 2007 due to the blockade of the Gaza Strip and fishing prohibition imposed by Israel. Furthermore, the high level of marine pollution undermined the fishing industry in the village.[7] Due to the prohibition, many of the villagers were unemployed or worked in the agricultural sector.[8]
Electricity
editThe village received electricity from the generator four hours daily in the evening after the Israeli disengagement from Gaza, with the Hamas government later extending the electricity network to it.[3]
References
edit- ^ "جمعية وفاق تنظم لقاء حول "القرية السويدية، لأجل مجتمعات صامدة ودور الشباب الفلسطيني في تعزيز التنمية المستدامة من منظور انساني"". pngoportal.org. PNGO. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ a b "بالصور- القرية السويدية على ساحل رفح من نكبة اللجوء إلى العزلة والتهميش". raya.ps. Raya. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ a b "مهمشة ومهددة بفقدان مساحة من أراضيها القرية السويدية.. تحمل من "السويد" الاسم فقط". safa.ps. Palestinian Press Agency. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Omer, Mohammed. "The sadness of Gaza's Swedish village". middleeasteye.net. Middle East Eye. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ "Qarya al-Suwaydiya is a/an Palestinian local development committee in Gaza of Gaza Strip (Occupied Palestinian Territories). It is administered by the Palestinian Authority". www.jmcc.org. Jerusalem Media & Communication Centre. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Nidal Al-Mughrabi (27 June 2024). "Israel storms Gaza City neighbourhood, orders Palestinians to go south". Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ "Residents of Gaza's Swedish Village living in appalling conditions". middleeastmonitor.com. Middle East Monitor. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
- ^ Salah, Hanaa. "في رفح الغزية.. قرية "سويدية" صارت "منفية" (فيديو)". aa.com.tr. Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 25 October 2023.