Russia builds residential village for Gaza refugees

The Chechen Republic of Russia celebrated the completion of a brand-new housing complex last Friday, built as a welcome gift for just over 200 Palestinian refugees. The state-of-the-art buildings contain 40 apartments, which will house the families fleeing Israel’s war in Gaza, and come with a central garden, playground, and even bicycles for the kids. During the opening ceremony, officials expressed their solidarity with the people of Gaza, and their wish to ‘create a Palestinian community in the Chechen Republic so that refugees can preserve their national identity.’ The integration of refugees from Gaza has been a resounding success, with each family finding employment, settling in schools and kindergartens, and learning Russian. The newly arrived Palestinians described Chechnya as their ‘second home,’ and expressed their gratitude to the Chechen people for such a warm welcome.