Shirat HaYam

{{Short description|Former Israeli settlement in the Gaza Strip}} {{pp-extended|small=yes}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{about|the community in the Gaza Strip|the song sung by the Israelites at the Sea of Reeds|Song of the sea}} {{more citations needed|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox Israel village |country= |settlement_type=Former [[Israeli settlement]] |pushpin_map=Israel gaza |pushpin_mapsize= 250 |pushpin_label_position= |coordinates = {{coord|31|21|48|N|34|16|16|E|display=inline,title}} |name= Shirat HaYam |image= |caption= |imgsize= |hebname={{Script/Hebrew|שירת הים}} |arname= |stdHeb= |altOffSp= |altUnoSp= |meaning= Song of the Sea |founded= 2001 |founded_by= |district= |council= |affiliation= |population= |popyear= |area_dunam= |website= }}

'''Shirat HaYam''' ({{langx|he|שִׁירַת הַיָּם||Song of the Sea}}) was an [[Israeli settlement]] established in 2001 on the shores of the [[Mediterranean Sea]] west of [[Neve Dekalim]] in the [[Gush Katif]] settlement bloc in the [[Gaza Strip]] that existed until 2005.

== Population == About fifteen families lived in trailers or abandoned houses that reportedly had been [[Egyptian Army]] officer's barracks from the period when [[Egypt]] occupied the Gaza Strip.

== Evacuation == [[Image:Flickr - Israel Defense Forces - The Evacuation of Shirat Hayam (2).jpg|thumb|150px|left|The Evacuation of Shirat Hayam]] On 14 August 2005, immediately prior to the execution of the [[Israel's unilateral disengagement plan|disengagement plan]] evacuation, {{Ill|Aryeh Yitzhaki|he|אריה יצחקי}}, an Israeli military [[historian]] residing in Shirat HaYam, proclaimed independence as "The Independent Jewish Authority in Gaza Beach." He called himself ''The Temporary Chairman'' "until the election of the 2,500 citizens" in his new country. He followed through with his claim by sending an appeal for recognition to the [[United Nations]] and the [[Red Cross]]. Four days later, when the [[Israel Defense Forces]] and [[Israeli Police]] came to evacuate Shirat Hayam, he defended this self-proclaimed country alone with an [[M16 rifle|M-16]] after ascending the roof of his home. The event ended peacefully after a few hours, and the settlement was successfully evacuated.

While the standard policy adapted by the [[Government of Israel|Israeli government]] was to destroy all residential property prior to the retreat from Gush Katif, the cement structures in this settlement were not touched until several weeks later.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3136516,00.html|title=Demolition of Gaza homes completed|newspaper=Ynetnews |date=September 2005}}</ref>

The evicted residents of the village chose to remain together as a group and move to [[Maskiot]] in the [[Jordan River|Jordan River valley]] to build an agricultural settlement.<ref> {{cite web | publisher = Associated Press | year = 2005 | title = Ex-Gaza settlers to move to former W. Bank army post | url = http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/mideast/palestine/3481.html | accessdate = 3 July 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215749/http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/mideast/palestine/3481.html | archive-date = 27 September 2007 | url-status = dead }} </ref> Since the Maskiot site, a former military base, was not ready for settlement, the group moved to adjacent [[Hemdat]].

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Former Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip]] [[Category:Populated places established in 2001]] [[Category:Villages depopulated during the Arab–Israeli conflict]]