Nehma Maabad, the proprietor of the Meow Cat Cafe in Gaza City, placed out food for a group of kittens when it first opened this week.
"I find that cats provide a safe haven for me to decompress and unwind. So I came up with the idea of starting a project that mixes helping others and providing them with something positive," the 50-year-old stated.
For the cats to climb on, a portion of the area is outfitted with wooden platforms covered in artificial turf, and the walls are decorated with murals and pictures of cats.
Meow is a part of the cat café craze that is spreading over the world, but Gaza has special characteristics.
Since 2007, Israel has imposed a debilitating embargo on the region, and Israel and Palestinian terrorists have fought many conflicts that can be seen all throughout the city.
Customers shell out approximately 10 shekels ($2.65) each hour to play with the cats, which according to Maabad pays for both their feeding and high veterinary costs.
"The quality of cats here is beautiful and sweet, so it's a wonderful idea -- despite its strangeness to society -- and when I heard about it I felt happy," she said.
Pets are rare in Gaza although cats are ever-present, particularly around the port or fishmongers as they try to paw away some scraps.
Maabad said she had cats at home to bring to Meow, while others came from friends.
"The idea of the cafe was to have something nice with a cup of coffee," she said.
"A cat that you play with and it makes you smile and forget the pressures of life."