Ottoman-era eatery serves to draw tourists in Gaza

By Muhammed Majed

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – An Ottoman-era building in Gaza City has been turned into an eatery in an effort to lure tourists to the blockaded Palestinian enclave.

“Bait Sitty is located inside one of the most significant historical buildings in Gaza,” Atef Salamah, the restaurant owner, told Anadolu Agency.

“The 430-year-old building was built on Ottoman Islamic architecture,” he said.

The two-storey restaurant was opened this week in the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in southern Gaza City.

It has eight rooms, an open courtyard and a water fountain with Ottoman architectural styles.

“This is the first restaurant in Gaza that has been built in an ancient place dating back to hundreds of years,” Salamah said.

He went on to call on Palestinian authorities to preserve historical sites in the Gaza Strip.

The Gaza Strip has some 134 historical buildings, according to the Palestinian Tourism Ministry.