Gaza M75 perfume captures 'victory' scent

"Victory" has never smelled so sweet - or at least that's what they would have you believe at the shop selling Gaza's newest fragrance named M75 after a long-range Hamas rocket. It's a bold move by the "Stay Stylish" shop in Gaza City's upscale Rimal neighbourhood, but one that store owner Abu Ahmed expects to pay dividends. "We came up with the name M75 for a new perfume in the shop as a symbol of the rocket of the resistance, and the victory of Gaza," he told AFP. The M75 rocket was among several long-range missiles Gaza militant groups fired into Israel during an eight-day conflict last month, which ended with a ceasefire between Hamas and the Jewish state. The conflict killed at least 174 Palestinians, including more than 100 civilians, and six Israelis, four civilians and two soldiers, but many in Gaza felt Hamas emerged from the violence victorious. The goal of the perfume is "to promote and market our products, and its only natural to use something like a victory to market our goods," added Abu Ahmed, who declined to give his full name. "We want to send a fast message to people about this perfume to market it as quickly and easily as possible," he said. "People are proud that we were able to hit Tel Aviv and Jerusalem with this M75 rocket and this name is much talked about and liked by people here." The fragrance, available both for men and women, has been successful so far, despite the fairly hefty price tag of 50 Israeli shekels ($13, euros), which the manufacturers justify on the basis of the perfume's "luxurious" components. The success, according to Abu Ahmed, has already inspired his fellow Gaza entrepreneurs, whom he expects to slap the M75 label on a whole range of new products. The M75 rocket, among hundreds that Hamas and other groups fired into Israel during the eight-day conflict, appears to have captured the public's imagination in Gaza, where it played a commanding role during Hamas's 25th anniversary celebrations this weekend. An enormous mock-up of the rocket had pride of place on a stage where the festivities took place, and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal - in Gaza for the first time ever - emerged from a door in the fake missile to give an address.