During the first intifada, nobody in Gaza went to the beach. Instead of spending time amusing themselves, Palestinians chose to suspend everyday life and focus on the national struggle against Israeli occupation. Once a Palestinian state was secured, it was thought, normal life could be resumed, and the beach reappropriated for leisure and fun.

17 years later, Palestinians are still engaged in a struggle against occupation. Despite this, Gaza Beach is today full of life. Disenchanted with the optimism of the first intifada, countless Palestinians have abandoned the strict discipline of national struggle, and returned to the beach which is the only open, public space available for camping and picnics in the otherwise crowded Gaza strip. However, camping on the beach is conditioned by the increasingly violent and pervasive regime of Israeli Occupation. While large parts of the population are unable to reach there at all due to the Israeli system of closure and settelements, many of those who can make it camp on the Beach in UN and Red Crescent refugee tents, which they have been awarded after Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have demolished their homes. On the other hand, many political groups have their own public holiday tents on the beach -here one can, for example, play volley ball with Hamas. And while those who can afford it can enjoy a trip to the sea in Gaza's only cruiser, Dolphin 1, the trip never exceeds more than a few kilometres. Because the sea in front of Gaza is controlled by the Israeli military, Dolphin 1 can only sail a small circle in front of Gaza city.

All the photographs in this series were taken in Gaza during the summer 2003