Palestinian woman Sabreen receives skin cleaning service at Soleil Beauty Center for Women in Gaza City, on Sept. 27, 2018. The Soleil Center has a team of 10 professionals who are experts in the field of skin cleaning, foot and hand care, physiotherapy as well as hairdressing and make-up. The center hopes to provide Palestinian women with an opportunity to entertain themselves in the face of the hardships of life in the coastal territory which has been placed under an Israeli blockade for more than a decade. (Xinhua/Stringer)
GAZA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Young Palestinian lady Hadia Abu Shahla were extremely comforted upon her visit to a newly opened women's beauty center, the first of its kind in the conservative Gaza Strip.
The lady, in her 20s, enjoyed a good time as she received body, hair care and massage sessions at Soleil Beauty Center for Women in Gaza city.
Abu Shahla told Xinhua that the center helped her feel psychologically and physically better after suffering a long period of stress due to work pressure and tough living conditions.
"The place is very beautiful in terms of design and decor, and it is something trendy and dazzling. You feel like you are in a place in an European country," she said as she waited her turn for a body care session.
Abu Shahla pointed out that she was most attracted by the center's variety of services that women badly need to care for their health and beauty in addition to the availability of a small cafe where friends can meet at the end of the day.
"The center alleviates the suffering of Gaza women ... Having such a place in Gaza gives us an opportunity to take care of ourselves and enjoy our time," she added.
Gaza Strip has been placed under a tight Israeli blockade since Islamic Hamas movement seized the territory after routing forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007.
The blockade has pushed Gaza's 2 million people deeper into poverty with unprecedented high unemployment rates.
In the recent nine years, Israel and Hamas movement have been engaged in three major wars that claimed the lives of thousands of Palestinians and Israelis.
At the reception hall, the signs of satisfaction overwhelmed Samira Haj Ahmed, 39, who said opening a women's beauty center is an opportunity for working women to relax and refresh their minds and bodies.
Haj Ahmed, who works as a teacher, explained that the presence of a special section for children in the same center gave her more freedom to take care of beauty and wellbeing.
"I can leave my daughter at the kid's area ... We can have dinner together at the cafe when I'm done," she added.
The Soleil Center has a team of 10 professionals who are experts in the field of skin cleaning, foot and hand care, physiotherapy as well as hairdressing and make-up.
The center hopes to provide Palestinian women with an opportunity to entertain themselves in the face of the hardships of life in the coastal territory which has been placed under an Israeli blockade for more than a decade.
The center's director, Rawan al-Katari, told Xinhua that the main motivation for establishing the center is that the women of Gaza "deserve a place where they entertain themselves even if for a short period of time."
Al-Katari pointed out that the poor economic conditions in the Gaza Strip made her hesitate to establish the center, adding that she still insisted on starting it with the support of local investors who believed in the idea.
"The center helps women take care of their beauty and well-being ... Palestinian women have experienced difficult social and economic conditions and suffered greatly in light of the continued Israeli siege and frequent wars on the Gaza Strip," she said.
The lady stressed that women of Gaza need a place where they can escape pressure, fatigue, hardship, sadness and feelings of loss and pain.
"Soleil is now their choice for comfort, stability and entertainment," she explained.
The center has more than 20 services ranging from the Moroccan bath, massage, skin cleaning, gym, a special grooming room for brides to foot and hand care, she added.
