GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — More than 100 dog breeders gathered in the Gaza Strip on Feb. 5 for a dog show. This event was the first of its kind in Gaza.

Hundreds of Palestinian citizens attended the event for dogs and their breeders, which was held in al-Kuteiba Park, west of Gaza City, and was promoted through the Facebook group “German Shepherd Dogs in Gaza.” The group includes more than 25,000 dog breeders and dog lovers in the Gaza Strip.

Maher Jaber, one of the organizers of the event, told Al-Monitor, “We came up with the idea after thousands of people joined the group. We conducted a survey regarding the event and where to hold it, and the active members in the group were highly responsive.”

Jaber added that everybody agreed on al-Kuteiba Park as a venue for the event. Every Friday night, many citizens stroll around the park. He noted, “After getting the approval of the Ministry of Interior to organize the event, we went through with it. More than 100 dog breeders participated, along with hundreds of citizens who watched the dog show. Many people insisted on taking photos with the dogs.”