fbpx
Wikipedia

Gaza City

January 19, 2024

Gaza (/ˈɡɑːzə/ ⓘ GAH-zə;[4] Arabic: غَزَّة, romanized: Ġazzah, IPA: [ˈɣazza] ⓘ), also called Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of 590,481 (in 2017), making it the largest city in the State of Palestine.

Gaza
غَزَّة
Gaza City
Municipality type A (City)
Arabic transcription(s)
 • Latin (official)Ghazzah
 • Latin (DIN 31635)Ġazzah
Downtown Gaza in December 2007
Coat of arms of Gaza
Gaza
Location of Gaza within Palestine
Coordinates: 31°31′N 34°27′E / 31.517°N 34.450°E / 31.517; 34.450
Country Palestine
GovernorateGaza
Founded15th century BCE
Government
 • TypeCity (from 1994[1])
 • Head of MunicipalityYahya Al-Sarraj
Area
[2]
 • Total45,000 dunams (45 km2 or 17 sq mi)
Population
 (2017 Census)[3]
 • Total590,481
 • Density13,000/km2 (34,000/sq mi)
WebsiteGaza-City.org

Inhabited since at least the 15th century BCE,[5] Gaza has been dominated by different peoples and empires throughout its history. The Philistines made it a part of their pentapolis after the Ancient Egyptians had ruled it for nearly 350 years. Under the Roman Empire Gaza experienced relative peace and its port flourished. In 635 CE, it became the first city in Palestine to be conquered by the Muslim Rashidun army and quickly developed into a center of Islamic law. However, by the time the Crusaders invaded the country starting in 1099, Gaza was in ruins. In later centuries, Gaza experienced several hardships—from Mongol raids to floods and locusts, reducing it to a village by the 16th century, when it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. During the first half of Ottoman rule, the Ridwan dynasty controlled Gaza and under them the city went through an age of great commerce and peace. The municipality of Gaza was established in 1893.

Gaza fell to British forces during World War I, becoming a part of Mandatory Palestine. As a result of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip territory and several improvements were undertaken in the city. Gaza was occupied by Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967, and in 1993, the city was transferred to the newly created Palestinian National Authority. In the months following the 2006 election, an armed conflict broke out between the Palestinian political factions of Fatah and Hamas, resulting in the latter taking power in Gaza. The Gaza Strip was then subject to an Israeli-led, Egyptian-supported blockade.[6] Israel eased the blockade allowing consumer goods in June 2010, and Egypt reopened the Rafah Border Crossing in 2011 to pedestrians.[6][7]

The primary economic activities of Gaza are small-scale industries and agriculture. However, the blockade and recurring conflicts have put the economy under severe pressure.[8] The majority of Gaza's Palestinian inhabitants are Muslim, although there is also a tiny Christian minority. Gaza has a very young population, with roughly 75% under the age of 25. The city is currently administered by a 14-member municipal council.

As of January 2024, as part of the Israel–Hamas war, the Israeli army has bombed large portions of the city and surrounding areas of the Northern Gaza Strip, destroying many buildings and infrastructure. Almost all residents have fled or been evacuated to Southern Gaza, or killed as a result. Therefore, previous recorded or estimated population numbers have become outdated.[9]

Etymology

The name "Gaza" is first known from military records of Thutmose III of Egypt in the 15th century BCE.[10] In Neo-Assyrian sources, reflecting the late Philistine period, it was known as Hāzat.[11]

In Semitic languages, the meaning of the city name is "fierce, strong".[12] The Hebrew name of the city is ʿAzza (עַזָּה) – the ayin at the beginning of the word represented a voiced pharyngeal fricative in Biblical Hebrew, but in Modern Hebrew, it is silent.[13][12]

According to Shahin, the Ancient Egyptians called it gḏt, "Ghazzat" ("prized city"), and the Muslims often referred to it as "Ghazzat Hashem", in honor of Hashim, the great-grandfather of Muhammad who, according to Islamic tradition, is buried in the city.[14]

Other proper Arabic transliterations for the Arabic name are Ghazzah or Ġazzah (DIN 31635). Accordingly, "Gaza" might be spelled "Gazza" in English.

History

Main article: History of Gaza

Gaza's history of habitation dates back 5,000 years, making it one of the oldest cities in the world.[15] Located on the Mediterranean coastal route between North Africa and the Levant, for most of its history it served as a key entrepôt of southern Palestine and an important stopover on the spice trade route traversing the Red Sea.[15][16]

Bronze Age

Settlement in the region of Gaza dates back to the ancient Egyptian fortress built in Canaanite territory at Tell es-Sakan, to the south of present-day Gaza. The site went into decline throughout the Early Bronze Age II as its trade with Egypt sharply decreased.[17] Another urban center known as Tell el-Ajjul began to grow along the Wadi Ghazza riverbed. During the Middle Bronze Age, a revived Tell es-Sakan became the southernmost locality in Palestine, serving as a fort. In 1650 BCE, when the Canaanite Hyksos occupied Egypt, a second city developed on the ruins of the first Tell as-Sakan. However, it was abandoned by the 14th century BCE, at the end of the Bronze Age.[17]

During the reign of Tuthmosis III (r. 1479–1425 BCE), the city became a stop on the Syrian-Egyptian caravan route and was mentioned in the 14th-century Amarna letters as "Azzati".[18] Gaza later served as Egypt's administrative capital in Canaan.[19] Gaza remained under Egyptian control for 350 years until it was conquered by the Philistines in the 12th century BCE.[18]

Iron Age and the Hebrew Bible

In the 12th century BCE Gaza became part of the Philistine "pentapolis".[18]

According to the Hebrew Bible's Book of Judges, Gaza was the place where Samson was imprisoned by the Philistines and met his death (Judges 16:21).

Israelite to Persian periods

After being ruled by the Israelites, Assyrians, and then the Egyptians, Gaza achieved relative independence and prosperity under the Persian Empire.

Hellenistic period

Alexander the Great besieged Gaza, the last city to resist his conquest on his path to Egypt, for five months before finally capturing it 332 BCE;[18] the inhabitants were either killed or taken captive. Alexander brought in local Bedouins to populate Gaza and organized the city into a polis (or "city-state").

In Seleucid times, Seleucus I Nicator, or one of his successors renamed Gaza into Seleucia to control the surrounding area against the Ptolemies.[citation needed] Greek culture consequently took root and Gaza earned a reputation as a flourishing center of Hellenistic learning and philosophy.[20] During the Third War of the Diadochi, Ptolemy I Soter defeated Demetrius I of Macedon in a battle near Gaza in 312 BCE. In 277 BCE, following Ptolemy II's successful campaign against the Nabataeans the Ptolemaic fortress of Gaza took control of the spice trade with Gerrha and Southern Arabia.

Gaza experienced another siege in 96 BCE by the Hasmonean king Alexander Jannaeus who "utterly overthrew" the city, killing 500 senators who had fled into the temple of Apollo for safety.[21]

Roman period

 
Statue of Zeus that was unearthed in Gaza in the 20th century

Josephus notes that Gaza was resettled under the rule of Antipater, who cultivated friendly relations with Gazans, Ascalonites and neighboring cities after being appointed governor of Idumea by Jannaeus.[22]

Rebuilt after it was incorporated into the Roman Empire in 63 BCE under the command of Pompey Magnus, Gaza then became a part of the Roman province of Judaea.[18] It was targeted by Jewish forces during their rebellion against Roman rule in 66 and was partially destroyed.[23] It nevertheless remained an important city, even more so after the destruction of Jerusalem.[24]

Throughout the Roman period, Gaza was a prosperous city and received grants and attention from several emperors.[18] A 500-member senate governed Gaza, and a diverse variety of Greeks, Romans, Phoenicians, Jews, Egyptians, Persians, and Bedouin populated the city. Gaza's mint issued coins adorned with the busts of gods and emperors.[25] During his visit in 130 CE,[26] Emperor Hadrian personally inaugurated wrestling, boxing, and oratorical competitions in Gaza's new stadium,[dubious – discuss] which became known from Alexandria to Damascus. The city was adorned with many pagan temples; the main cult being that of Marnas. Other temples were dedicated to Zeus, Helios, Aphrodite, Apollo, Athena and the local Tyche.[18] Christianity began to spread throughout Gaza in 250 CE, including in the port of Maiuma.[27][28][29][30] First evidence of a Bishop of Gaza is from early 4th century, when St. Sylvan served in that capacity.[31]

Byzantine period

Following the division of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century CE, Gaza remained under control of the Eastern Roman Empire that in turn became the Byzantine Empire. The city prospered and was an important center for the southern Palestine.[32] A Christian bishopric was established at Gaza. Conversion to Christianity in Gaza was accelerated under Saint Porphyrius between 396 and 420. In 402, Theodosius II ordered all eight of the city's pagan temples destroyed,[18] and four years later Empress Aelia Eudocia commissioned the construction of a church atop the ruins of the Temple of Marnas.[33] It was during this era that the Christian philosopher Aeneas of Gaza called Gaza, his hometown, "the Athens of Asia."[34] A large synagogue existed in Gaza in the 6th century, according to excavations.[35]

Early Islamic period

 
Depiction of a Gaza building in the Byzantine Umm ar-Rasas mosaics, circa 8th century CE during the Abbasid Caliphate

In c. 638 Gaza was captured by Arab Muslim forces under Amr ibn al-As, in the years following the Battle of Ajnadayn between the Byzantine Empire and the Rashidun Caliphate in central Palestine.[36] It was captured by Amr's forces about three years later. Believed to be the site where Muhammad's great-grandfather Hashim ibn Abd Manaf was buried, Gaza was not destroyed and its inhabitants were not attacked by Amr's army despite the city's stiff and lengthy resistance, though its Byzantine garrison was massacred.[37]

The arrival of the Muslim Arabs brought significant changes to Gaza; at first some of its churches were transformed into mosques, including the present Great Mosque of Gaza (the oldest in the city), which was later rebuilt by Sultan Baibars, who endowed it with a huge manuscript library containing over 20,000 manuscripts in the 13th century.[37] A large segment of the population swiftly adopted Islam,[38][39] and Arabic became the official language.[39] In 767 Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi'i was born in Gaza and lived his early childhood there; he founded the Shafi'i religious code, one of the four major Sunni Muslim schools of law (fiqh).[40] Security, which was well-maintained during early Muslim rule, was the key to Gaza's prosperity. Although alcohol was banned in Islam, the Jewish and Christian communities were allowed to maintain wine production, and grapes, a major cash crop of the city, were exported mainly to Egypt.[41]

Because it bordered the desert, Gaza was vulnerable to warring nomadic groups.[41] In 796 it was destroyed during a civil war between the Arab tribes of the area.[42] However, by the 10th century, the city had been rebuilt by the Abbasids; during Abbasid rule, the Jerusalemite geographer al-Muqaddasi described Gaza as "a large town lying on the highroad to Egypt on the border of the desert."[43] In 978, the Fatimids established an agreement with Alptakin, the Turk ruler of Damascus, whereby the Fatimids would control Gaza and the land south of it, including Egypt, while Alptakin controlled the region north of the city.[44]

Crusader and Ayyubid periods

The Crusaders conquered Gaza in 1100 and King Baldwin III built a castle in the city for the Knights Templar in 1149.[33] He also had the Great Mosque converted back into a church, the Cathedral of Saint John.[26] In 1154, Arab traveller al-Idrisi wrote that Gaza "is today very populous and in the hands of the Crusaders."[45] In 1187 the Ayyubids, led by Sultan Saladin, captured Gaza and in 1191 destroyed the city's fortifications. Richard the Lionheart apparently refortified the city in 1192, but the walls were dismantled again as a result of the Treaty of Ramla agreed upon months later in 1193.[33] Ayyubid rule ended in 1260, after the Mongols under Hulagu Khan completely destroyed Gaza, which became his southernmost conquest.[39]

Mamluk period

Following Gaza's destruction by the Mongols, Muslim slave-soldiers based in Egypt known as the Mamluks began to administer the area. In 1277, the Mamluks made Gaza the capital of a province that bore its name, Mamlakat Ghazzah (Governorship of Gaza). This district extended along the coastal plain of Palestine from Rafah in the south to just north of Caesarea, and to the east as far as the Samarian highlands and the Hebron Hills. Other major towns in the province included Qaqun, Ludd, and Ramla.[39][46] Gaza, which entered a period of tranquility under the Mamluks, was used by them as an outpost in their offensives against the Crusaders which ended in 1290.[47] In 1294 an earthquake devastated Gaza, and five years later the Mongols again destroyed all that had been restored by the Mamluks.[39] Syrian geographer al-Dimashqi described Gaza in 1300 as a "city so rich in trees it looks like a cloth of brocade spread out upon the land."[25] Under the governorship of Emir Sanjar al-Jawli, Gaza was transformed into a flourishing city and much of the Mamluk-era architecture dates back to his reign between 1311–1320 and again in 1342.[48][49] In 1348 the bubonic plague spread to the city, killing the majority of its inhabitants and in 1352, Gaza suffered from a destructive flood, which was rare in that arid part of Palestine.[50] However, when Arab traveller and writer Ibn Battuta visited the city in 1355, he noted that it was "large and populous, and has many mosques."[51] The Mamluks contributed to Gazan architecture by building mosques, Islamic colleges, hospitals, caravansaries, and public baths.[17]

The Mamluks allowed Jews to return to the city, after being expelled by the Crusaders, and the Jewish community prospered during Mamluk rule. Towards the end of the Mamluk period, the Jewish community in Gaza was the third largest in Palestine, after the communities in Safad and Jerusalem.[citation needed] In 1481, an Italian Jewish traveller, Meshulam of Volterra, wrote of Gaza:

It is a fine and renowned place, and its fruits are very renowned and good. Bread and good wine is to be found there, but only Jews make wine. Gaza has a circumference of four miles and no walls. It is about six miles from the sea and situated in a valley and on a hill. It has a population as numerous as the sands of the sea, and there are about fifty (sixty) Jewish householders, artisans. They have a small but pretty Synagogue, and vineyards and fields and houses. They had already begun to make the new wine. ... The Jews live at the top of the hill. May God exalt them. There are also four Samaritan householders who live on the hillside.[52]

Ottoman period

 
Painting of Gaza by David Roberts, 1839, in The Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia
 
Gaza in 1841, as mapped by the British Royal Engineers after the Oriental Crisis of 1840
 
Muslims studying the Qur'an with Gaza in the background, painting by Harry Fenn, circa 1884
 
The Old Town, Gaza (1862–1863). Picture by Frances Frith

In 1516 Gaza—at the time, a small town with an inactive port, ruined buildings and reduced trade—was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire.[50] The Ottoman army quickly and efficiently crushed a small-scale uprising,[53] and the local population generally welcomed them as fellow Sunni Muslims.[50] The city was then made the capital of the Gaza Sanjak, part of the larger Province of Damascus.[54] The Ridwan family, named after governor Ridwan Pasha, was the first dynasty to govern Gaza and would continue to rule the city for over a century.[55] Under Ahmad ibn Ridwan, the city became a cultural and religious center as a result of the partnership between the governor and prominent Islamic jurist Khayr al-Din al-Ramli, who was based in the nearby town of al-Ramla.[56]

During the rule of Husayn Pasha, strife between the settled population and the nearby Bedouin tribes was dramatically reduced, allowing Gaza to peacefully prosper. The Ridwan period is described as a golden age for Gaza, a time when it served as the virtual "capital of Palestine."[57][58] The Great Mosque was restored, and six other mosques constructed, while Turkish baths and market stalls proliferated.[50] After the death of Musa Pasha, Husayn's successor, Ottoman officials were appointed to govern in place of the Ridwans. The Ridwan period was Gaza's last golden age during Ottoman rule. After the family was removed from office, the city gradually declined.[59]

Starting in the early 19th century, Gaza was culturally dominated by neighboring Egypt; Muhammad Ali of Egypt conquered Gaza in 1832.[26] American scholar Edward Robinson visited the city in 1838, describing it as a "thickly populated" town larger than Jerusalem, with its Old City lying upon a hilltop, while its suburbs laid on the nearby plain.[60] The city benefited from trade and commerce because of its strategic position on the caravan route between Egypt and northern Syria as well as from producing soap and cotton for trade with the government, local Arab tribes, and the Bedouin of Wadi Arabah and Ma'an.[61] The bazaars of Gaza were well-supplied and were noted by Robinson as "far better" than those of Jerusalem.[62] Robinson noted that virtually all of Gaza's vestiges of ancient history and antiquity had disappeared due to constant conflict and occupation.[63] By the mid-19th century, Gaza's port was eclipsed by the ports of Jaffa and Haifa, but it retained its fishing fleet.[64]

The bubonic plague struck Gaza again in 1839 and the city, lacking political and economic stability, went into a state of stagnation. In 1840 Egyptian and Ottoman troops battled outside of Gaza. The Ottomans won control of the territory, effectively ending Egyptian rule over Palestine. However, the battles brought about more death and destruction in Gaza whilst the city was still recovering from the effects of the plague.[50]

First World War and British Mandate

 
Gaza after surrender to British forces, 1918

While leading the Allied Forces during World War I, the British won control of the city during the Third Battle of Gaza in 1917.[50] After the war, Gaza was included in Mandatory Palestine.[65] In the 1930s and 1940s, Gaza underwent major expansion. New neighborhoods were built along the coast and the southern and eastern plains. International organizations and missionary groups funded most of this construction.[64]

Egyptian and Israeli rule

In the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan, Gaza was assigned to be part of an Arab state in Palestine but was occupied by Egypt following the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Gaza's growing population was augmented by an influx of refugees fleeing or expelled from nearby cities, towns and villages that were captured by Israel. In 1957, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser made a number of reforms in Gaza, which included expanding educational opportunities and the civil services, providing housing, and establishing local security forces.[66]

Gaza was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War following the defeat of the Egyptian Army. Frequent conflicts have erupted between Palestinians and the Israeli authorities in the city since the 1970s. The tensions led to the First Intifada in 1987. Gaza was a center of confrontation during this uprising,[50] and economic conditions in the city worsened.[67]

Palestinian control

See also: Gaza humanitarian crisis (2023–present) and Gaza Strip evacuations
 
Gaza City in 2006

In September 1993, the leaders of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) signed the Oslo Accords. The agreement called for Palestinian administration of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank town of Jericho, which was implemented in May 1994. Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza, leaving a new Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to administer and police the city.[20] The PNA, led by Yasser Arafat, chose Gaza as its first provincial headquarters. The newly established Palestinian National Council held its inaugural session in Gaza in March 1996.[64]

In 2005, Israel withdrew its troops from the Gaza Strip and removed the thousands of Israelis who had settled in the territory.[68] (See Israel's unilateral disengagement plan of 2004.) Since the Israeli withdrawal, Hamas has been engaged in a sometimes violent power struggle with its rival Palestinian organisation Fatah. On January 25, 2006, Hamas won a surprise victory in the elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council, the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority. In 2007, Hamas overthrew Fatah forces in the Gaza Strip and Hamas members were dismissed from the PNA government in the West Bank in response. Currently, Hamas, recognized as a terror organization by most western countries, has de facto control of the city and Strip.[69]

 
El-Remal aera in Gaza City on 9 October 2023

In March 2008, a coalition of human rights groups charged that the Israeli blockade of the city had caused the humanitarian situation in Gaza to have reached its worst point since Israel occupied the territory in the 1967 Six-Day War,[70] and that Israeli air strikes targeting militants in the densely populated areas have often killed bystanders as well.[68] In 2008, Israel commenced an assault against Gaza.[71] Israel stated the strikes were in response to repetitive rocket and mortar attacks from the Gaza Strip into Israel since 2005, while the Palestinians stated that they were responding to Israel's military incursions and blockade of the Gaza Strip. In January 2009, at least 1,300 Palestinians were killed in the conflict.[72][73]

In November 2012, after a week of conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups, a ceasefire brokered by Egypt was announced on November 21.[74] In the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, 2,205 Palestinians (including at least 1,483 civilians) and 71 Israelis (including 66 soldiers) and one foreign national in Israel were killed, according to UN OCHA.[75] According to an analysis by the New York Times, men ages 20–29, who are most likely to be militants, are most overrepresented in the death toll.[76] During the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis, the 13-story Hanadi Tower, which contained a political office of Hamas, was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike.[77]

In 2023, the city was again targeted during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. On 2 November, the siege of Gaza City started.[78] As of January 2024, Israel’s offensive has either damaged or destroyed 70–80% of all buildings in northern Gaza.[79][80]

Geography

 
Beach in Gaza City

Central Gaza is situated on a low-lying and round hill with an elevation of 14 metres (46 ft) above sea level.[81] Much of the modern city is built along the plain below the hill, especially to the north and east, forming Gaza's suburbs. The beach and the port of Gaza are located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) west of the city's nucleus and the space in between is entirely built up on low-lying hills.[60]

The municipal jurisdiction of the city today constitutes about 45 square kilometres (17 sq mi).[2] Gaza is 78 kilometres (48 mi) southwest of Jerusalem, 71 kilometres (44 mi) south of Tel Aviv,[82] and 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of Rafah.[83] Surrounding localities include Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun, and Jabalia to the north, and the village of Abu Middein, the refugee camp of Bureij, and the city of Deir al-Balah to the south.[84]

The population of Gaza depends on groundwater as the only source for drinking, agricultural use, and domestic supply. The nearest stream is Wadi Ghazza to the south, sourced from Abu Middein along the coastline. It bears a small amount of water during the winter and virtually no water during the summer.[85] Most of its water supply is diverted into Israel.[86] The Gaza Aquifer along the coast is the main aquifer in the Gaza Strip and it consists mostly of Pleistocene sandstones. Like most of the Gaza Strip, Gaza is covered by quaternary soil; clay minerals in the soil absorb many organic and inorganic chemicals which has partially alleviated the extent of groundwater contamination.[85]

 
Gaza Strip with Israeli-controlled borders and limited fishing zone, as of December 2012

A prominent hill southeast of Gaza, known as Tell al-Muntar, has an elevation of 270 feet (82 m) above sea level. For centuries it has been claimed as the place to which Samson brought the city gates of the Philistines. The hill is crowned by a Muslim shrine (maqam) dedicated to Ali al-Muntar ("Ali of the Watchtower"). There are old Muslim graves around the surrounding trees,[87] and the lintel of the doorway of the maqam has two medieval Arabic scriptures.[18]

Al-Furqan neighborhood is dubbed al-Furqan after a mosque in the city.[88][89]

Old City

The Old City forms the main part of Gaza's nucleus. It is roughly divided into two quarters; the northern Daraj Quarter (also known as the Muslim Quarter) and the southern Zaytun Quarter (which contained the Jewish and Christian quarters.) Most structures date from the Mamluk and Ottoman eras, and some were built on top of earlier structures. The ancient part of the Old City is about 1.6 square kilometres (0.62 sq mi).[64]

There were seven historic gates to the Old City: Bab Asqalan (Gate of Ascalon), Bab al-Darum (Gate of Deir al-Balah), Bab al-Bahr (Gate of the Sea), Bab Marnas (Gate of Marnas), Bab al-Baladiyah (Gate of the Town), Bab al-Khalil (Gate of Hebron), and Bab al-Muntar (Gate of Tell al-Muntar).[90]

Some of the older buildings in Gaza's Old City use the ablaq style of decoration which features alternating layers of red and white masonry, prevalent in the Mamluk era. Daraj contains the Gold (Qissariya) Market as well as the Great Mosque of Gaza (oldest mosque in Gaza)[91] and the Sayed al-Hashim Mosque.[92] In Zaytun lies the Saint Porphryrius Church, the Katib al-Wilaya Mosque, and Hamam as-Sammara ("the Samaritan's Bathhouse.")[93]

Districts

 
Eastern Gaza City

Gaza is composed of thirteen districts (hayy) outside of the Old City.[94] The first extension of Gaza beyond its city center was the district of Shuja'iyya, built on a hill just east and southeast of the Old City during the Ayyubid period.[95] In the northeast is the Mamluk-era district of Tuffah,[96] which is roughly divided into eastern and western halves and was originally located within the Old City's walls.[91]

During the 1930s and 1940s, a new residential district, Rimal (currently divided into the districts of Northern Rimal and Southern Rimal),[94] was constructed on the sand dunes west of the city center, and the district of Zeitoun was built along Gaza's southern and southwestern borders, while the Judeide ("the New") and Turukman neighborhoods of Shuja'iyya expanded into separate districts in the northeast and southeast, respectively.[64][97] Judeide (also known Shuja'iyyat al-Akrad) was named after the Kurdish military units who settled there during the Mamluk era, while Turukman was named after the Turkmen military units who settled there.[95]

 
View of Gaza from the port

The areas between Rimal and the Old City became the districts of Sabra and Daraj.[96] In the northwest is the district of Nasser, built in the early 1950s and named in honor of Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser.[98] The district of Sheikh Radwan, developed in the 1970s, is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to the north of the Old City and is named after Sheikh Radwan—the tomb of whom is located within the district.[96][99] Gaza has absorbed the village of al-Qubbah near the border with Israel, as well as the Palestinian refugee camp of al-Shati along the coast,[84] although the latter is not under the city's municipal jurisdiction. In the late 1990s, the PNA built the more affluent neighborhood of Tel al-Hawa along the southern edge of Rimal.[100] Along the southern coast of the city is the neighborhood of Sheikh Ijlin.[94]

Climate

Gaza has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSh), with Mediterranean characteristics, featuring mild rainy winters and dry hot summers.[101] Spring arrives around March or April and the hottest month is August, with the average high being 31.7 °C (89.1 °F). The coolest month is January with temperatures usually peaking at 18.3 °C (64.9 °F). Rain is scarce and falls almost exclusively between November and March, with annual rainfall totalling approximately 395 millimetres or 15.6 inches.[102]

Climate data for Gaza
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 18.3
(64.9) 		18.9
(66.0) 		21.1
(70.0) 		24.4
(75.9) 		27.2
(81.0) 		29.4
(84.9) 		30.6
(87.1) 		31.7
(89.1) 		30.6
(87.1) 		28.9
(84.0) 		25.0
(77.0) 		20.6
(69.1) 		25.6
(78.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 13.9
(57.0) 		14.5
(58.1) 		16.4
(61.5) 		19.1
(66.4) 		21.8
(71.2) 		24.5
(76.1) 		26.0
(78.8) 		27.0
(80.6) 		25.6
(78.1) 		23.3
(73.9) 		19.8
(67.6) 		16.1
(61.0) 		20.7
(69.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 9.4
(48.9) 		10.0
(50.0) 		11.6
(52.9) 		13.8
(56.8) 		16.4
(61.5) 		19.5
(67.1) 		21.4
(70.5) 		22.2
(72.0) 		20.5
(68.9) 		17.7
(63.9) 		14.5
(58.1) 		11.6
(52.9) 		15.7
(60.3)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 104
(4.1) 		76
(3.0) 		30
(1.2) 		13
(0.5) 		3
(0.1) 		1
(0.0) 		0
(0) 		1
(0.0) 		3
(0.1) 		18
(0.7) 		64
(2.5) 		81
(3.2) 		394
(15.4)
Average relative humidity (%) 85 84 83 82 84 87 86 87 86 74 78 81 83
Mean monthly sunshine hours 204.6 192.1 241.8 264.0 331.7 339.0 353.4 337.9 306.0 275.9 237.0 204.6 3,288
Mean daily sunshine hours 6.6 6.8 7.8 8.8 10.7 11.3 11.4 10.9 10.2 8.9 7.9 6.6 9.1
Source: Arab Meteorology Book[103]

Demographics

Population

Year Population
1596 6,000[104]
1838 15,000–16,000[61]
1882 16,000[105]
1897 36,000[105]
1906 40,000[105]
1914 42,000[106]
1922 17,480[107]
1931 17,046[108]
1945 34,250[109][110]
1982 100,272[111]
1997 306,113[112]
2007 449,221[3]
2012 590,481[3]

According to Ottoman tax records in 1557, Gaza had 2,477 male taxpayers.[113] The statistics from 1596 show that Gaza's Muslim population consisted of 456 households, 115 bachelors, 59 religious persons, and 19 disabled persons. In addition to the Muslim figure, there were 141 jundiyan or "soldiers" in the Ottoman army. Of the Christians, there were 294 households and seven bachelors, while there were 73 Jewish households and eight Samaritan households. In total, an estimated 6,000 people lived in Gaza, making it the third largest city in Ottoman Palestine after Jerusalem and Safad.[104]

In 1838, there were roughly 4,000 Muslim and 100 Christian tax payers, implying a population of about 15,000 or 16,000—making it larger than Jerusalem at the time. The total number of Christian families was 57.[61] Before the outbreak of World War I, the population of Gaza had reached 42,000; however, the fierce battles between Allied Forces and the Ottomans and their German allies in 1917 in Gaza resulted in a massive population decrease.[106] The following census, which was conducted in 1922 by the British Mandate authorities shows a sharp decrease in population which stood at 17,480 residents (16,722 Muslims, 701 Christians, 54 Jews and three Metawilehs).[107] The 1931 census lists 17,046 inhabitants (16,356 Muslims, 689 Christians, and one Jew) and another 4,597 in the suburbs (4,561 Muslims and 36 Christians).[114]

The village statistics of 1938 list Gaza's population as 20,500 with 5,282 in nearby suburbs.[115] The village statistics of 1945 list the population as 34,250 (33,160 Muslims, 1,010 Christians, and 80 Jews).[109]

According to a 1997 census by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), Gaza and the adjacent al-Shati camp had a population of 353,115, of which 50.9% were males and 49.1% females. Gaza had an overwhelmingly young population with more than half being between the ages of infancy to 19 (60.8%). About 28.8% were between the ages of 20 to 44, 7.7% between 45 and 64, and 3.9% were over the age of 64.[112]

 
Men from Gaza, 19th century
 
People in Gaza City in 1956

A massive influx of Palestinian refugees swelled Gaza's population after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. By 1967, the population had grown to about six times its 1948 size.[64] In 1997, 51.8% of Gaza's inhabitants were refugees or their descendants.[116] The city's population has continued to increase since that time to 590,481 in 2017, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.[3][117] Gaza City has one of the highest overall growth rates in the world. Its population density is 9,982.69/km2 (26,424.76/sq mi) comparable to New York City (10,725.4/km2 – 27,778.7/sq mi), half of Paris density (21,000/km2 – 55,000/sq mi).[64][118] In 2007 poverty, unemployment and poor living conditions were widespread and many residents received United Nations food aid.[64][119]

Religion

The population of Gaza is overwhelmingly composed of Muslims, who mostly follow Sunni Islam.[64] During the Fatimid period, Shia Islam was dominant in Gaza, but after Saladin conquered the city in 1187, he promoted a strictly Sunni religious and educational policy, which at the time was instrumental in uniting his Arab and Turkish soldiers.[17]

Gaza is home to a small Palestinian Christian minority of about 3,500 people.[120] The majority live in the Zaytun Quarter of the Old City and belong to the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Baptist denominations.[121] In 1906, there were about 750 Christians, of which 700 were Orthodox and 50 were Roman Catholic.[105]

Gaza's Jewish community was roughly 3,000 years old,[64] and in 1481 there were sixty Jewish households.[122] Most of them fled from Gaza after the 1929 Palestine riots, when they consisted of fifty families.[64] In Sami Hadawi's land and population survey, Gaza had a population of 34,250, including 80 Jews in 1945.[109] Most of them left the city after the 1948 War, due to mutual distrust between them and the Arab majority.[123] Today, there are no Jews living in Gaza.[124]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Gaza
 
Gaza City in 2012
 
Gaza park, 2012
 
A beach resort in Gaza City

The major agricultural products are strawberries, citrus, dates, olives, flowers, and various vegetables. Pollution and high demand for water have reduced the productive capacity of farms in the Gaza Strip.[64] Small-scale industries include the production of plastics, construction materials, textiles, furniture, pottery, tiles, copperware, and carpets. Since the Oslo Accords, thousands of residents have been employed in government ministries and security services, UNRWA and international organizations.[64] Minor industries include textiles and food processing. A variety of wares are sold in Gaza's street bazaars, including carpets, pottery, wicker furniture, and cotton clothing. The upscale Gaza Mall opened in July 2010.[125][126]

A report by human rights and development groups published in 2008 stated that Gaza had suffered a long term pattern of economic stagnation and dire development indicators, the severity which was increased exponentially by the Israeli and Egyptian blockades.[8] The report cited a number of economic indicators to illustrate the point: In 2008, 95% of Gaza's industrial operations were suspended due to lack of access inputs for production and export problems. In 2009, unemployment in Gaza was close to 40%. The private sector which generates 53% of all jobs in Gaza was devastated and businesses went bankrupt. In June 2005, 3,900 factories in Gaza employed 35,000 people, by December 2007, only 1,700 were still employed. The construction industry was paralyzed with tens of thousands of laborers out of work. The agriculture sector was hard hit, affecting nearly 40,000 workers dependent on cash crops.[8]

Gaza's food prices rose during the blockade, with wheat flour going up 34%, rice up 21%, and baby powder up 30%. In 2007, households spent an average of 62% of their total income on food, compared to 37% in 2004. In less than a decade, the number of families depending on UNRWA food aid increased tenfold.[8] In 2008, 80% of the population relied on humanitarian aid in 2008 compared to 63% in 2006. According to a report by OXFAM in 2009, Gaza suffered from a serious shortage of housing, educational facilities, health facilities and infrastructure, along with an inadequate sewage system that contributed to hygiene and public health problems.[8]

Following a significant easing of the closure policy in 2010, the economy of Gaza began to see a substantial recovery from anemic levels during the height of the blockade.[127] The economy of Gaza grew by 8% in the first 11 months of 2010.[128] Economic activity is largely supported by foreign aid donations.[128] There are a number of hotels in Gaza, including the Palestine, Grand Palace, Adam, al-Amal, al-Quds, Cliff, al-Deira and Marna House. All, except the Palestine Hotel, are located along in the coastal Rimal district. The United Nations (UN) has a beach club on the same street. Gaza is not a frequent destination for tourists, and most foreigners who stay in hotels are journalists, aid workers, and UN and Red Cross personnel. Upmarket hotels include the al-Quds and the al-Deira Hotel.[129]

Culture

Cultural centers and museums

 
Nehru Library and Cultural Center at Gaza's Al-Azhar University

The Rashad Shawa Cultural Center, located in Rimal, was completed in 1988 and named after its founder, former mayor Rashad al-Shawa.[130] A two-story building with a triangular plan, the cultural centers performs three main functions: a meeting place for large gatherings during annual festivals, a place to stage exhibitions, and a library.[131] The French Cultural Center is a symbol of French partnership and cooperation in Gaza. It holds art exhibits, concerts, film screenings, and other activities. Whenever possible, French artists are invited to display their artwork, and more frequently, Palestinian artists from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are invited to participate in art competitions.[132]

Established in 1998, the Arts and Crafts Village is a children's cultural center with the objectives of promoting comprehensive, regular and periodic documentation of creative art in all of its forms. It interacted on a large scale with a class of artists from different nationalities and organized around 100 exhibitions for creative art, ceramics, graphics, carvings and others. Nearly 10,000 children from throughout the Gaza Strip have benefited from the Arts and Crafts Village.[133]

The Gaza Theater, financed by contributions from Norway, opened in 2004.[134] The theater does not receive much funding from the PNA, depending mostly on donations from foreign aid agencies. The A. M. Qattan Foundation, a Palestinian arts charity, runs several workshops in Gaza to develop young artistic talent and impart drama skills to teachers. The Gaza Theater Festival was inaugurated in 2005.[135]

The Gaza Museum of Archaeology, founded by Jawdat N. Khoudary, opened in the summer of 2008. The museum collection features thousands of items, including a statue of a full-breasted Aphrodite in a diaphanous gown, images of other ancient deities and oil lamps featuring menorahs.[136]

Cuisine

Main article: Palestinian cuisine § Gaza

Gaza's cuisine is characterized by its generous use of spices and chillies. Other major flavors and ingredients include dill, chard, garlic, cumin, lentils, chickpeas, pomegranates, sour plums and tamarind. Many of the traditional dishes rely on clay pot cooking, which preserves the flavor and texture of the vegetables and results in fork-tender meat. Traditionally, most Gazan dishes are seasonal and rely on ingredients indigenous to the area and its surrounding villages. Poverty has also played an important role in determining many of the city's simple meatless dishes and stews, such as saliq wa adas ("chard and lentils") and bisara (skinless fava beans mashed with dried mulukhiya leaves and chilies).[137]

Seafood is a key aspect of Gaza life and a local staple,[138] Some well-known seafood dishes include zibdiyit gambari, literally, "shrimps in a clay pot", and shatta which are crabs stuffed with red hot chili pepper dip, then baked in the oven. Fish is either fried or grilled after being stuffed with cilantro, garlic, chillies and cumin, and marinated with various spices. It is also a key ingredient in sayyadiya, rice cooked with caramelized onions, a generous amount of whole garlic cloves, large chunks of well-marinated fried fish, and spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, and cumin.[137] Many of the 1948-era refugees were fellahin ("peasants") who ate seasonal foods. Sumaghiyyeh, popular in Gaza not just on Ramadan but all year round, is a mixture of sumac, tahina and water combined with chard, chunks of beef and chickpeas. The dish is topped with crushed dill seeds, chillies and fried garlic and served in bowls.[137] Maftool is a wheat-based dish flavored with dried sour plums that is served like couscous or shaped into little balls and steamed over stew or soup.[139]

Most Gaza restaurants are located in the Rimal district. Al-Andalus, which specializes in fish and seafood, is popular with tourists, as are al-Sammak and the upscale Roots Club.[140] Atfaluna is a stylish restaurant near Gaza port run and staffed by deaf people with the goal of building a society that is more accepting of people with disabilities.[141]

Throughout the Old City there are street stalls that sell cooked beans, hummus, roasted sweet potatoes, falafel, and kebabs. Coffee houses (qahwa) serve Arabic coffee and tea. Gaza's well-known sweet shops, Saqqala and Arafat, sell common Arab sweet products and are located off Wehda Street. Alcohol is a rarity, found only in the United Nations Beach Club.[142]

Costumes and embroidery

See also: Palestinian costumes
 
Chest panel from Gaza dress

Gauze is reputed to have originated in Gaza. Cloth for the Gaza thob was often woven at nearby Majdal. Black or blue cottons or striped pink and green fabric that had been made in Majdal continued to be woven throughout the Gaza Strip by refugees from the coastal plain villages until the 1960s. Thobs here had narrow, tight, straight sleeves. Embroidery was much less dense than that applied in Hebron. The most popular motifs included: scissors (muqass), combs (mushut) and triangles (hijab) often arranged in clusters of fives, sevens and threes, as the use of odd numbers is considered in Arab folklore to be effective against the evil eye.[143]

Circa 1990, Hamas and other Islamic movements sought to increase the use of the hijab ("headscarf") among Gazan women, especially urban and educated women, and the hijab styles since introduced have varied according to class and group identity.[144]

Sports

Palestine Stadium, the Palestinian national stadium, is located in Gaza and has a capacity for 10,000 people. Gaza has several local football teams that participate in the Gaza Strip League. They include Khidmat al-Shatia (al-Shati Camp), Ittihad al-Shuja'iyya (Shuja'iyya neighborhood), Gaza Sports Club, and al-Zeitoun (Zeitoun neighborhood).[145]

Governance

 
Said al-Shawa, the first mayor of Gaza
See also: Palestinian Legislative Council and Politics of the Palestinian National Authority

Today, Gaza serves as the administrative capital of the Gaza Governorate.[146] It contains the Palestinian Legislative Council building.

The first municipal council of Gaza was formed in 1893 under the chairmanship of Ali Khalil Shawa. Modern mayorship, however, began in 1906 with his son Said al-Shawa, who was appointed mayor by the Ottoman authorities.[147] Al-Shawa oversaw the construction of Gaza's first hospital, several new mosques and schools, the restoration of the Great Mosque, and the introduction of the modern plow to the city.[148] In 1922, British colonial secretary Winston Churchill requested that Gaza develop its own constitution under Mandatory Palestine. However, it was rejected by the Palestinians.[149]

On July 24, 1994, the PNA proclaimed Gaza the first city council in the Palestinian territories.[1] The 2005 Palestinian municipal elections were not held in Gaza, nor in Khan Yunis or Rafah. Instead, Fatah party officials selected the smaller cities, towns, and villages to hold elections, assuming they would fare better in less urban areas. The rival Hamas party, however, won the majority of seats in seven of the ten municipalities selected for the first round with voter turnout being around 80%.[150] 2007 saw violent clashes between the two parties that left over 100 dead, ultimately resulting in Hamas taking over the city.[151]

Normally, Palestinian municipalities with populations over 20,000 and that serve as administrative centers have municipal councils consisting of fifteen members, including the mayor. The current municipal council of Gaza, however, consists of fourteen members, including the mayor, Nizar Hijazi.[152]

Education

 
Schoolgirls in Gaza lining up for class, 2009
 
The main conference hall of the Islamic University of Gaza

According to the PCBS, in 1997, approximately over 90% of Gaza's population over the age of 10 was literate. Of the city's population, 140,848 were enrolled in schools (39.8% in elementary school, 33.8% in secondary school, and 26.4% in high school). About 11,134 people received bachelor diplomas or higher diplomas.[153]

In 2006, there were 210 schools in Gaza; 151 were run by the Education Ministry of the Palestinian National Authority, 46 were run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, and 13 were private schools. A total of 154,251 students were enrolled and 5,877 teachers were employed.[154] The currently downtrodden economy has affected education in the Gaza Strip severely. In September 2007, a UNRWA survey in the Gaza Strip revealed that there was a nearly 80% failure rate in schools grades four to nine, with up to 90% failure rates in mathematics. In January 2008, the United Nations Children's Fund reported that schools in Gaza had been canceling classes that were high on energy consumption, such as information technology, science labs and extra curricular activities.[8]

Universities

Gaza has many universities. The four main universities in the city are al-Azhar University – Gaza, al-Quds Open University, al-Aqsa University and the Islamic University of Gaza. The Islamic University, consisting of ten facilities, was founded by a group of businessmen in 1978, making it the first University in Gaza. It had an enrollment of 20,639 students.[155] Al-Azhar is generally secular and was founded in 1992. Al-Aqsa University was established in 1991. Al-Quds Open University established its Gaza Educational Region campus in 1992 in a rented building in the center of the city originally with 730 students. Because of the rapid increase of the number of students, it constructed the first university owned building in the Nasser District. In 2006–07, it had an enrollment of 3,778 students.[156]

Public library

The Public Library of Gaza is located off Wehda Street and has a collection of nearly 10,000 books in Arabic, English and French. A total area of about 1,410 square metres (15,200 sq ft), the building consists of two floors and a basement. The library was opened in 1999 after cooperation dating from 1996 by Gaza under mayor Aoun Shawa, the municipality of Dunkerque, and the World Bank. The library's primary objectives are to provide sources of information that meets the needs of beneficiaries, provide necessary facilities for access to available information sources, and organizing various cultural programs such as, cultural events, seminars, lectures, film presentations, videos, art and book exhibitions.[157]

Landmarks

 
Sayed al-Hashim Mosque where the Islamic prophet Mohammed's great-grandfather, Hashim ibn Abd Manaf (c. 464-497), is thought to be buried.
 
World War I Cemetery in Gaza

Landmarks in Gaza include the Great Mosque in the Old City. Originally a pagan temple, it was consecrated a Greek Orthodox church by the Byzantines,[158] then a mosque in the 8th century by the Arabs. The Crusaders transformed it into a church, but it was reestablished as a mosque soon after Gaza's reconquest by the Muslims.[91] It is the oldest and largest in the Gaza Strip.[159]

Other mosques in the Old City include the Mamluk-era Sayed Hashem Mosque that believed to house the tomb of Hashem ibn Abd al-Manaf in its dome.[160] There is also the nearby Kateb al-Welaya Mosque that dates back to 1334. In Shuja'iyya is the Ibn Uthman Mosque, which was built by Nablus native Ahmad ibn Uthman in 1402, and the Mahkamah Mosque built by Mamluk majordomo Birdibak al-Ashrafi in 1455. In Tuffah is the Ibn Marwan Mosque,[92] which was built in 1324 and houses the tomb of Ali ibn Marwan, a holy man.[97]

The Unknown Soldier's Square, located in Rimal, is a monument dedicated to an unknown Palestinian fighter who died in the 1948 War. In 1967, the monument was torn down by Israeli forces and remained a patch of sand,[161] until a public garden was built there with funding from Norway. Qasr al-Basha, originally a Mamluk-era villa that was used by Napoleon during his brief sojourn in Gaza, is located in the Old City and is today a girls' school. The Commonwealth Gaza War Cemetery, often referred to as the British War Cemetery, contains the graves of fallen Allied soldiers in World War I; it sits 1.5 km (1 mi) northeast of the city center, in the Tuffah district, near Salah al-Din Road.[91][162]

Infrastructure

See also: Water supply and sanitation in the Palestinian territories

Water supply and sanitation

According to the 1997 census by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, 98.1% of Gaza's residents were connected to the public water supply while the remainder used a private system.[163] About 87.6% were connected to a public sewage system and 11.8% used a cesspit.[164] The blockade on Gaza severely restricted the city's water supply. The six main wells for drinking water did not function, and roughly 50% of the population had no water on a regular basis. The municipality claimed it was forced to pump water through "salty wells" because of the unavailability of electricity. About 20 million liters of raw sewage and 40 million liters of partially treated water per day flowed into the Mediterranean Sea, and untreated sewage bred insects and mice.[165] As a "water-poor" country, Gaza is highly dependent on water from Wadi Ghazza. The Gaza Aquifer is used as Gaza's main resource for obtaining quality water. However, the majority of water from Wadi Ghazza is transported to Jerusalem.[166]

Power grid

In 2002 Gaza began operating its own power plant which was built by Enron.[167] However, the power plant was bombed and destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in 2006. Prior to the power plant's destruction Israel provided additional electricity to Gaza through the Israel Electric Corporation. The plant was partially rebuilt by December 2007,[168] and Israeli electricity continues to be sold to Gaza.[169]

Solid waste management

Solid waste management is one of key compelling issues facing Gazans today. These challenges are attributed to several factors; the lack of investment in environmental systems, less attention was given to environmental projects, and the absence of law enforcement and the tendency towards crisis management. One of the main aspects of this problem is the huge quantities of rubble and debris generated as a result of Israeli bombardments.[170][171]

For instance, the scale of damage resulting from the Operation Protective Edge is unprecedented. All governorates in the Gaza Strip witnessed extensive aerial bombardment, naval shelling and artillery fire, resulting in a considerable amount of rubble. According to recent statistics, more than 2 million tonnes of debris was generated. Approximately 10,000 houses were leveled to the ground including two 13-story residential buildings. A tremendous amount of debris remains scattered in Gaza. Serious efforts and a high budget are required to handle this challenge. More importantly, and based on a UNEP study after the 2008 war, the debris is highly likely to be contaminated with PAHs and probably with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and furan compounds.[172] In January 2024, the Israeli army destroyed Gaza City’s main reservoirs, Al-Balad and Al-Rimal.[173]

Health care

 
Al-Quds hospital, Gaza City, following Israeli shelling in 2009

Al-Shifa Hospital ("the Cure") was founded in the Rimal District by the British Mandate government in the 1940s. Housed in an army barracks, it originally provided quarantine and treatment for febrile diseases. When Egypt administered Gaza, this original department was relocated and al-Shifa became the city's central hospital.[174] When Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip after occupying it in the 1956 Suez Crisis, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser had al-Shifa hospital expanded and improved. He also ordered the establishment of a second hospital in the Nasser District with the same name. In 1957, the quarantine and febrile disease hospital was rebuilt and named Nasser Hospital.[98] Today, al-Shifa remains Gaza's largest medical complex.[175]

Throughout the late 1950s, a new health administration, Bandar Gaza ("Gaza Region"), was established and headed by Haidar Abdel-Shafi. Bandar Gaza rented several rooms throughout the city to set up government clinics that provided essential curative care.[98]

 
Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City during the Israel–Hamas war on 11 October 2023

The Ahli Arab Hospital, founded in 1907 by the Church Missionary Society (CMS), was destroyed in World War I.[176] It was rebuilt after the war by the CMS, and in 1955 became the Southern Baptist Hospital.[177][178] In 1982, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem took leadership and the original name was restored.[176] Al-Quds Hospital, located in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood and managed by the Palestine Red Crescent Society, is the second largest hospital in Gaza.[179]

In 2007, hospitals experienced power cuts lasting for 8–12 hours daily and diesel required for power generators was in short supply. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the proportion of patients given permits to exit Gaza for medical care decreased from 89.3% in January 2007 to 64.3% in December 2007.[8]

In 2010, a team of doctors from Al-Durrah Hospital in Gaza spent a year of training at the cystic fibrosis clinic at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. Upon their return to Gaza, a cystic fibrosis center was established at Al-Durrah, although the most serious cases are referred to Hadassah.[180]

Al-Rantisi Hospital provides care for children.

Transportation

 
Ruins of Yasser Arafat International Airport in the southern Gaza Strip, 2002

The Rasheed Coastal Road runs along Gaza's coastline and connects it with the rest of Gaza Strip's coastline north and south. The main highway of the Gaza Strip, Salah al-Din Road (the modern Via Maris) runs through the middle of Gaza City, connecting it with Deir al-Balah, Khan Yunis, and Rafah in the south and Jabalia and Beit Hanoun in the north.[181] The northern crossing of Salah ad-Din Street into Israel is the Erez Crossing and the crossing into Egypt is the Rafah Crossing.

Omar Mukhtar Street is the main road in the city of Gaza running north–south, branching off Salah ad-Din Street, stretching from the Rimal coastline and the Old City where it ends at the Gold Market.[91] Prior to the Blockade of the Gaza Strip, there existed regular lines of collective taxis to Ramallah and Hebron in the West Bank.[182] Except for private cars, Gaza City is served by taxis and buses.

The Yasser Arafat International Airport near Rafah opened in 1998 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Gaza. Its runways and facilities were damaged by the Israeli Defense Forces in 2001 and 2002, rendering the airport unusable. In August 2010, the tarmac ramp was destroyed by Palestinians seeking stones and recycled building materials.[183] The Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel is located roughly 75 kilometres (47 mi) northeast of the city.[182]

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the Palestinian Territories

Twin towns and sister cities

Gaza is twinned with:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Palestine Facts Timeline July 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs (PASSIA).
  2. ^ a b . Gaza Municipality. Archived from the original on June 20, 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  3. ^ a b c d "Main Indicators by Type of Locality - Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2017" (PDF). Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  4. ^ The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998), ISBN 0-19-861263-X, p. 761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory in Palestine, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza...".
  5. ^ "Gaza (Gaza Strip)". International Dictionary of Historic Places. Vol. 4. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers. 1996. pp. 87–290.
  6. ^ a b Gaza Benefiting From Israel Easing Economic Blockade
  7. ^ Gaza Border Opening Brings Little Relief
  8. ^ a b c d e f g (PDF). Oxfam. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  9. ^ "Gaza has become a moonscape in war. When the battles stop, many fear it will remain uninhabitable". AP. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  10. ^ H. Jacob Katzenstein (1982). "Gaza in the Egyptian Texts of the New Kingdom". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 102 (1): 111–113. doi:10.2307/601117. JSTOR 601117.
  11. ^ Seymour Gitin, 'Philistines in the Book of Kings,' in André Lemaire, Baruch Halpern, Matthew Joel Adams (eds.)The Books of Kings: Sources, Composition, Historiography and Reception, BRILL, 2010 pp.301–363, for the Neo-Assyrian sources p.312: The four city-states of the late Philistine period (Iron Age II) are Amqarrūna (Ekron), Asdūdu (Ashdod), Hāzat (Gaza), and Isqalūna (Ascalon), with the former fifth capital, Gath, having been abandoned at this late phase.
  12. ^ a b Masalha, Nur (2018). Palestine: A Four Thousand Year History. Zed Books Ltd. p. 81. ISBN 9781786992758.
  13. ^ Blau, Joshua (2010). Phonology and morphology of Biblical Hebrew: an introduction. Winona Lake (Ind.): Eisenbrauns. p. 69. ISBN 9781575061290.
  14. ^ Shahin, 2005, p. 414.
  15. ^ a b Dumper et al., 2007, p. 155.
  16. ^ Alan Johnston (2005-10-22). "Gaza's ancient history uncovered". BBC News. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  17. ^ a b c d Filfil, Rania; Louton, Barbara (September 2008). . This Week in Palestine. Archived from the original on 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Gaza – (Gaza, al -'Azzah)". Studium Biblicum Franciscanum – Jerusalem. 2000-12-19. Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  19. ^ Michael G. Hasel (1998) Domination and Resistance: Egyptian Military Activity in the Southern Levant, Ca. 1300–1185 B.C. BRILL, ISBN 90-04-10984-6 p 258
  20. ^ a b Ring and Salkin, 1994, p.287.
  21. ^ Patai, 1999, p. 149.
  22. ^ Shatzman, 1991, p. 79.
  23. ^ Patai, 1999, p. 142.
  24. ^ Dowling, 1913, p. 33
  25. ^ a b Doughty, Dick (November 2006). . This Week in Palestine. Archived from the original on 2011-09-07. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  26. ^ a b c Remondino (June 5, 2007). "Gaza at the crossroads of civilisations" (PDF). Exhibition: Gaza at the crossroads of civilisations (27 April to 7 October 2007). Art and History Museum, Geneva, Switzerland. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  27. ^ Jennifer Lee Hevelone-Harper (1997) Disciples of the Desert: Monks, Laity, and Spiritual Authority in Sixth-century Gaza (JHU Press) ISBN 0-8018-8110-2 pp 11- 12
  28. ^ Hagith Sivan (2008) Palestine in late antiquity Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-928417-2 p 337
  29. ^ Andrea Sterk (2004) Renouncing the World Yet Leading the Church: The Monk-bishop in Late Antiquity Harvard University Press, ISBN 0-674-01189-9 p 207
  30. ^ Gerald Butt (1995) Life at the crossroads: a history of Gaza Rimal Publications, ISBN 1-900269-03-1 p 70
  31. ^ "Gaza" from the Catholic Encyclopedia
  32. ^ Kaegi, W. Byzantium and the early Islamic conquests, p. 95
  33. ^ a b c Pringle, 1993, p. 208
  34. ^ J.S. Tunison: "Dramatic Traditions of the Dark Ages", Burt Franklin, New York, p.11 [1]
  35. ^ . Archived from the original on 2017-05-17. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  36. ^ Kennedy, 2007, p. 88.
  37. ^ a b Filiu, 2014, pp. 18–19.
  38. ^ Filiu, 2014, pp. 23.
  39. ^ a b c d e Ring and Salkin, 1994, p. 289.
  40. ^ Gil, 1992, p.292.
  41. ^ a b Sharon, 2009, pp. 17-18
  42. ^ Dowling, 1913, p. 37
  43. ^ al-Muqaddasi quoted in le Strange, 1890, p. 442
  44. ^ Gil, 1992, p.349.
  45. ^ Yaqut al-Hamawi quoted in le Strange, 1890, p. 442
  46. ^ Sharon, 1997, pp.XII-XIII.
  47. ^ Sharon, 2009, p. 26
  48. ^ Sharon, 2009, p. 87
  49. ^ Meyer, 1907, p. 83
  50. ^ a b c d e f g Ring and Salkin, 1994, p.290.
  51. ^ Ibn Battuta quoted in le Strange, 1890, p. 442
  52. ^ Elkan Nathan Adler (1987) [1930]. Jewish Travellers in the Middle Ages. Dover. pp. 180–181. ISBN 9780486253978.
  53. ^ Ze'evi, 1996, p.2.
  54. ^ Doumani, 1995, p.35.
  55. ^ Ze'evi, 1996, p.40.
  56. ^ Ze'evi, 1996, p.53.
  57. ^ Dowling, 1913, pp. 70-71
  58. ^ Meyer, 1907, p. 98
  59. ^ Ze'evi, 1996, p.41.
  60. ^ a b Robinson, 1841, vol 2, pp. 374-375
  61. ^ a b c Robinson, 1841, vol 2, pp. 377–378
  62. ^ Robinson, 1841, vol 2, p. 378
  63. ^ Robinson, 1841, p.38.
  64. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Dumper and Abu-Lughod, 2007, p.155.
  65. ^ . Middle East Research Information Project. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  66. ^ Feldman, 2008, pp.8–9.
  67. ^ Roy, Sara (4 October 2006). "The Economy of Gaza". Palestine Information Center. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  68. ^ a b "Gaza crisis: key maps and timeline". BBC News. 2009-01-06. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
  69. ^ "Abbas sacks Hamas-led government". BBC News. 2007-07-15. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  70. ^ . CNN. 2008-03-06. Archived from the original on May 6, 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  71. ^ Sharp, Heather (2009-01-05). "Gaza conflict: Who is a civilian?". BBC News. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  72. ^ Lappin, Yaakov (March 26, 2009). "IDF releases Cast Lead casualty numbers". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  73. ^ "Rocket salvo tests Gaza ceasefire". BBC News. 2009-01-16. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  74. ^ Najjar, Nasser and Lynch, Sarah. Cease-fire brings hope to weary residents of Gaza. USA Today. 2012-11-21.
  75. ^ . United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 15 October 2014. Archived from the original on 25 July 2015.
  76. ^ Rudoren, Jodi (5 August 2014). "Civilian or Not? New Fight in Tallying the Dead From the Gaza Conflict". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  77. ^ "Rockets target Tel Aviv after Gaza tower destroyed". BBC News. 2021-05-11. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  78. ^ "IDF chief: Israeli forces have Gaza city surrounded". The Jerusalem Post. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  79. ^ "Over 50% of Gaza buildings damaged or destroyed in Israel's bombardment". Axios. 5 January 2024.
  80. ^ "The numbers that reveal the extent of the destruction in Gaza". The Guardian. 8 January 2024.
  81. ^ "Gaza". MedCities. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  82. ^ Distance from Gaza to Tel Aviv 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine and Distance from Gaza to Jerusalem 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine Time and Date AS.
  83. ^ Welcome to Rafah Palestine Remembered.
  84. ^ a b "Satellite View of Gaza". Palestine Remembered. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  85. ^ a b Chilton, 1999, p.77. Excerpt from report by Mohammad R. Al-Agha from the Islamic University of Gaza.
  86. ^ Lipchin, 2007, p.109.
  87. ^ Briggs, 1918, p.258.
  88. ^ "IAF hits 200 targets in Gaza City 'terror nest'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  89. ^ "Furqan Mosque". Furqan Mosque. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  90. ^ Pringle, 1993, p. 209
  91. ^ a b c d e Sheehan, 2000, p. 429.
  92. ^ a b Sharon, 2009, p. 31
  93. ^ El-Haddad, Laila (December 2006). . This Week in Palestine. Archived from the original on 2011-09-07. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  94. ^ a b c (PDF) (Map) (2009 ed.). United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-19.
  95. ^ a b Sharon, 2009, p. 30
  96. ^ a b c Butt, 1995, p. 9.
  97. ^ a b . MidEastTravelling. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  98. ^ a b c Husseini and Barnea, 2002, p.136.
  99. ^ Bitton-Ashkelony, 2004, p. 75.
  100. ^ . Ma'an News Agency. 2009-01-17. Archived from the original on 2013-08-22. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  101. ^ Sansur, Dr. Ramzi M. (21 April 1995). Environment and development in the WB and Gaza Strip-UNCTAD study (Report). United Nations. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  102. ^ . MSN Weather. Archived from the original on 2009-02-10. Retrieved 2009-01-15.
  103. ^ (PDF). Springer. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  104. ^ a b Hütteroth and Abdulfattah, 1977, p.52.
  105. ^ a b c d Meyer, 1907, p.108
  106. ^ a b IIPA, 1966, p. 44.
  107. ^ a b Barron, 1923, p. 6
  108. ^ "Census of Palestine 1931. Population of villages, towns and administrative areas". 1931 Census of Palestine. British Mandate survey in 1931. Retrieved 2014-11-12.
  109. ^ a b c Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 45
  110. ^ Department of Statistics, 1945, p. 31[permanent dead link]
  111. ^ Census by Israel Central Bureau of Statistics
  112. ^ a b . Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). 1997. Archived from the original on 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  113. ^ Cohen and Lewis, 1978.
  114. ^ Mills, E. (1931). Census of Palestine 1931. Jerusalem: Greek Convent & Goldberg Presses. p. 3.
  115. ^ Village Statistics (PDF). 1938. p. 63.
  116. ^ Palestinian Population by Locality and Refugee Status 2008-01-07 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)
  117. ^ . Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). Archived from the original on 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
  118. ^ Gaza has a population of 449,221 (2009 census) and an area of 45 square kilometres (17 sq mi) (Municipality of Gaza 2010-05-28 at the Wayback Machine (in Arabic)). This gives a population density of 9,982.69/km² (26,424.76/mi²).
  119. ^ "Five militants die in Gaza strike". BBC News. 2008-02-27. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  120. ^ "Militants bomb Gaza YMCA library". BBC News. 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  121. ^ Omer, Mohammed (2008-02-09). . Institute for Middle East Understanding. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  122. ^ Gaza, Jewish Encyclopedia
  123. ^ . Jewish Virtual Library. Archived from the original on October 16, 2007. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  124. ^ "The Disengagement Plan-General Outline". Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  125. ^ "As the Israeli blockade eases, Gaza goes shopping" 2011-08-10 at the Wayback Machine, Donald Macintyre, 26 July 2010, The Independent
  126. ^ "1st Gaza mall attracts thousands; Despite siege, new shopping center in Strip opened its doors last Saturday to enthusiastic crowds, offering international brands, much-needed air-conditioning. Mall's manager promises affordable prices tailored for local residents", Ali Waked, 07.20.10, Ynet.
  127. ^ "Gaza Strip". New York Times. 28 August 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-18.
  128. ^ a b . Archived from the original on 2010-12-12. Retrieved 2010-12-08.
  129. ^ Jacobs, 1994, p.454
  130. ^ Rashad Shawa Cultural Center Gaza Municipality.
  131. ^ Rashad Shawa Cultural Center 2009-08-02 at the Wayback Machine Archnet Digital Library.
  132. ^ Abdel-Shafi, Sami. Promoting culture and hope in Gaza Institute for Middle East Understanding republishing of This Week in Palestine. August 24, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  133. ^ Thomas, Amelia (September 2006). . This Week in Palestine. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  134. ^ Edwards, Bob (2004-02-14). "Analasis: New Cinema Opening up in Gaza City". NPR. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  135. ^ Thomas, Amelia (2005-01-22). "Theater thrives in Gaza, despite restrictions". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  136. ^ Bronner, Ethan. Museum Offers Gray Gaza a View of Its Dazzling Past. New York Times, 2008-07-25.
  137. ^ a b c El-Haddad, Laila. The Foods of Gaza 2011-07-24 at the Wayback Machine This Week in Palestine. June 2006.
  138. ^ Farsakh, Mai M. The rich flavors of Palestine 2009-04-16 at the Wayback Machine Institute for Middle East Understanding. 2006-06-11.
  139. ^ Albala, Ken (1 January 2011). Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313376269. Retrieved 28 April 2017 – via Google Books.
  140. ^ . CBS News. 28 May 2010. Archived from the original on 11 May 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  141. ^ "Gaza deaf restaurant a chance to change perceptions". Reuters. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  142. ^ Jacobs, 1994, p.456
  143. ^ "Palestine costume before 1948: by region". Palestine Costume Archive. Archived from the original on September 13, 2002. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  144. ^ Rema Hammami. "Women, the Hijab and the Intifada" in Middle East Report, No. 164/165, May–Aug., 1990. JSTOR 3012687
  145. ^ Palestina 2005/06 Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  146. ^ Gaza Governorate Home Page 2005-03-09 at the Wayback Machine Governorate of Gaza Official Website.
  147. ^ Former Presidents of the Municipality of Gaza. Municipality of Gaza.
  148. ^ Said al-Shawa, 1906[permanent dead link] Gaza Municipality.
  149. ^ Tessler M (1994). "Ch. 3: The Conflict Takes Shape". A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0253208734.
  150. ^ Anderson, John. Hamas Dominates Local Vote in Gaza Washington Post. 2005-01-29.
  151. ^ How Hamas took over the Gaza Strip BBC News.
  152. ^ New Gaza City mayor to start job Sunday 2014-04-08 at the Wayback Machine. Maan News Agency. 2014-04-09.
  153. ^ Palestinian Population (10 Years and Over) by Locality, Sex and Educational Attainment 2008-11-19 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS).
  154. ^ (PDF). Education Minister of the Palestinian National Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 29, 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
  155. ^ Facts About IUG 2012-04-01 at the Wayback Machine Islamic University of Gaza Official Website.
  156. ^ Gaza Educational Region 2009-07-03 at the Wayback Machine Al-Quds Open University.
  157. ^ "The municipal public library". Gaza Municipality.[permanent dead link]
  158. ^ Jacobs, 1998, p.451
  159. ^ Porter and Murray, 1868, p.250.
  160. ^ Sayyed Hashem Mosque 2008-12-24 at the Wayback Machine Web Gaza.
  161. ^ Jacobs, 1998, p.455.
  162. ^ Gaza War Cemetery at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  163. ^ Occupied Housing Units by Locality and Connection to Water Network 2008-11-19 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS).
  164. ^ Occupied Housing Units by Locality and Connection to Sewage System in Housing Unit 2008-11-19 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS).
  165. ^ The outcome of the unjust embargo on the work of the municipal Gaza Municipality.
  166. ^ Lipchin, Clive; Pallant, Eric; Saranga, Danielle; Amster, Allyson (2007). Integrated Water Resources Management and Security in the Middle East. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-4020-5986-5.
  167. ^ Published: March 09, 2002 (2002-03-09). "Enron Sought To Raise Cash Two Years Ago – Page 2 – New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-03-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  168. ^ . Gisha.org. 2010-02-03. Archived from the original on 2013-05-11. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  169. ^ "AFP: Cut Gaza power supply to boost Israel grid: minister". 2012-05-13. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  170. ^ Salemdeeb, Ramy (2013). "Gaza's Challenge". CIWM.
  171. ^ "Gaza's Challenge". CIWM journal. 2013-04-25. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  172. ^ "Gaza: Toil & Rubble". CIWM journal. 2014-12-16. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  173. ^ "Lack of access to clean drinking water is a death sentence for the people of Gaza". ReliefWeb. 15 January 2024.
  174. ^ Husseini and Barnea, 2002, p.135.
  175. ^ . Defence For Children International, Palestine Section. 2006-07-16. Archived from the original on 2009-10-21. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  176. ^ a b . Bible Lands. Archived from the original on 2007-02-02.
  177. ^ . Archived from the original on 2020-06-04. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  178. ^ Husseini and Barnea, 2002, p.34.
  179. ^ Frenkel, Sheera (2009-01-15). "UN headquarters in Gaza hit by Israeli 'white phosphorus' shells". Times Online. London. Retrieved 2009-05-24.
  180. ^ "Secret medical service". Haaretz.
  181. ^ Sheehan, 2000, p.428.
  182. ^ a b About Gaza City Gaza Municipality. June 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  183. ^ "Gazans rip apart airport tarmac". Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  184. ^ "Tel Aviv Decides to Retain Contract With Gaza City as Twin City'". Haaretz. 10 February 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  185. ^ . Hôtel de ville de Dunkerque – Place Charles Valentin – 59140 Dunkerque. Archived from the original on November 9, 2007. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  186. ^ Pessotto, Lorenzo. . International Affairs Service in cooperation with Servizio Telematico Pubblico. City of Torino. Archived from the original on 2013-06-18. Retrieved 2013-08-06.
  187. ^ . .irna.ir. Archived from the original on 2013-03-26. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  188. ^ . Tromsø kommune, Postmottak, Rådhuset, 9299 Tromsø. Archived from the original on 2007-10-27. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  189. ^ . Câmara Municipal de Cascais. Archived from the original on 2007-11-11. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
  190. ^ (in Spanish). Ajuntament de Barcelona. Archived from the original on February 16, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  191. ^ (in Spanish). © 2010 El Periódico de Extremadura. Archived from the original on 2010-09-12. Retrieved 2010-09-01.

Bibliography

  • Abu-Lughod, J.; Dumper, Michael (2007). Cities of the Middle East and North Africa: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-57607-919-5.
  • Barron, J.B., ed. (1923). Palestine: Report and General Abstracts of the Census of 1922. Government of Palestine.
  • Bitton-Askeloni, Bruria; Kofsky, Arieh (2004). Christian Gaza In Late Antiquity. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-13868-1.
  • Butt, Gerald (1995). Life at the crossroads: a history of Gaza. Rimal Publications. ISBN 1-900269-03-1.
  • Chilton, John; Hydrogeologists, International Association of (1999). Groundwater in the Urban Environment: Proceedings of the XXVII IAH Congress on Groundwater in the Urban Environment, Nottingham UK, 21–27 September 1997. Taylor and Francis. ISBN 978-90-5410-924-2.
  • Cohen, Amnon; Lewis, B. (1978). "Population and Revenue in the Towns of Palestine in the Sixteenth Century". Princeton University Press. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • Department of Statistics (1945). Village Statistics, April, 1945. Government of Palestine.
  • Doumani, B. (1995). Rediscovering Palestine: Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus, 1700–1900. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-20370-4.
  • Dowling, T.E. (1913). "Gaza: A City of Many Battles (from the family of Noah to the Present Day)". S.P.C.K. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • Dumper, Michael; Stanley, Bruce E.; Abu-Lughod, J. (2007). Cities of the Middle East and North Africa: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-57607-919-5.
  • Feldman, Ilana (2008). Governing Gaza: Bureaucracy, Authority, and the Work of Rule, 1917–1967. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-4240-3.
  • Filiu, J.-P. (2014). Gaza: A History. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-020189-0.
  • Gil, Moshe (1997) [1983]. A History of Palestine, 634–1099. Translated by Ethel Broido. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-59984-9.
  • Hadawi, S. (1970). Village Statistics of 1945: A Classification of Land and Area ownership in Palestine. Palestine Liberation Organization Research Center.
  • Husseini, Rafiq; Barnea, Tamara (2002). Separate and Cooperate, Cooperate and Separate: The Disengagement of the Palestine Health Care System from Israel and Its Emergence as an Independent System. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-275-97583-5.
  • Hütteroth, Wolf-Dieter; Abdulfattah, Kamal (1977). Historical Geography of Palestine, Transjordan and Southern Syria in the Late 16th Century. Erlanger Geographische Arbeiten, Sonderband 5. Erlangen, Germany: Vorstand der Fränkischen Geographischen Gesellschaft. ISBN 3-920405-41-2.
  • be-Yiśraʼel, Makhon le-minhal tsiburi (1966). "Public Administration in Israel and Abroad". Israel Institute of Public Administration. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • Jacobs, Daniel; Eber, Shirley; Silvani, Francesca (1998). Israel and the Palestinian territories. Rough Guides. ISBN 978-1-85828-248-0.
  • Kennedy, Hugh (2007). The Great Arab Conquests: How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live In. Philadelphia: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-81585-0.
  • Le Strange, G. (1890). Palestine Under the Moslems: A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A.D. 650 to 1500. Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund.
  • Lipchin, Clive; Pallant, Eric; Saranga, Danielle (2007). Integrated Water Resources Management and Security in the Middle East. Springer. ISBN 978-1-4020-5984-1.
  • Meyer, Martin Abraham (1907). History of the city of Gaza: from the earliest times to the present day. Columbia University Press.
  • Patai, R. (1999). The Children of Noah: Jewish Seafaring in Ancient Times (3rd, illustrated ed.). Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-00968-1.
  • Pringle, D. (1993). The Churches of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem: Volume I A-K (excluding Acre and Jerusalem). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-39036-2.
  • Ring, Trudy; Salkin, Robert M.; Schellinger, Paul E. (1994). International Dictionary of Historic Places. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-884964-03-9.
  • Robinson, E.; Smith, E. (1841). Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea: A Journal of Travels in the year 1838. Vol. 2. Boston: Crocker & Brewster.
  • Sabbagh, K. (2008). Palestine: History of a Lost Nation. Grove Press. ISBN 978-1-900949-48-4.
  • Shahin, Mariam (2005). Palestine: A Guide. Interlink Books. ISBN 1-56656-557-X.
  • Sharon, M. (2009). Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum Palaestinae, G. Vol. 4. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-17085-8.
  • Shatzman, I. (1991). The armies of the Hasmonaeans and Herod: from Hellenistic to Roman frameworks. Mohr Siebeck. ISBN 978-3-16-145617-6.
  • Sheehan, Sean (2000). Israel Handbook: With the Palestinian Authority Areas. Footprint Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-900949-48-4.
  • Ze'evi, Dror (1996). An Ottoman Century: The District of Jerusalem in the 1600s. SUNY Press. ISBN 0-7914-2915-6.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gaza City.
  • Municipality of Gaza 2013-12-19 at the Wayback Machine
  • Gaza at Google Maps
  • The achievements of the municipal council for a period of 5 years (2008–2013) in Arabic 2014-08-19 at the Wayback Machine

January 19, 2024
gaza, city, gaza, ɑː, arabic, romanized, Ġazzah, ˈɣazza, also, called, palestinian, city, gaza, strip, with, population, 2017, making, largest, city, state, palestine, gaza, ةmunicipality, type, city, arabic, transcription, latin, official, ghazzah, latin, 316. Gaza ˈ ɡ ɑː z e GAH ze 4 Arabic غ ز ة romanized Ġazzah IPA ˈɣazza also called Gaza City is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip with a population of 590 481 in 2017 making it the largest city in the State of Palestine Gaza غ ز ةGaza CityMunicipality type A City Arabic transcription s Latin official Ghazzah Latin DIN 31635 ĠazzahDowntown Gaza in December 2007Coat of arms of GazaGazaLocation of Gaza within PalestineCoordinates 31 31 N 34 27 E 31 517 N 34 450 E 31 517 34 450Country PalestineGovernorateGazaFounded15th century BCEGovernment TypeCity from 1994 1 Head of MunicipalityYahya Al SarrajArea 2 Total45 000 dunams 45 km2 or 17 sq mi Population 2017 Census 3 Total590 481 Density13 000 km2 34 000 sq mi WebsiteGaza City orgInhabited since at least the 15th century BCE 5 Gaza has been dominated by different peoples and empires throughout its history The Philistines made it a part of their pentapolis after the Ancient Egyptians had ruled it for nearly 350 years Under the Roman Empire Gaza experienced relative peace and its port flourished In 635 CE it became the first city in Palestine to be conquered by the Muslim Rashidun army and quickly developed into a center of Islamic law However by the time the Crusaders invaded the country starting in 1099 Gaza was in ruins In later centuries Gaza experienced several hardships from Mongol raids to floods and locusts reducing it to a village by the 16th century when it was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire During the first half of Ottoman rule the Ridwan dynasty controlled Gaza and under them the city went through an age of great commerce and peace The municipality of Gaza was established in 1893 Gaza fell to British forces during World War I becoming a part of Mandatory Palestine As a result of the 1948 Arab Israeli War Egypt administered the newly formed Gaza Strip territory and several improvements were undertaken in the city Gaza was occupied by Israel in the Six Day War in 1967 and in 1993 the city was transferred to the newly created Palestinian National Authority In the months following the 2006 election an armed conflict broke out between the Palestinian political factions of Fatah and Hamas resulting in the latter taking power in Gaza The Gaza Strip was then subject to an Israeli led Egyptian supported blockade 6 Israel eased the blockade allowing consumer goods in June 2010 and Egypt reopened the Rafah Border Crossing in 2011 to pedestrians 6 7 The primary economic activities of Gaza are small scale industries and agriculture However the blockade and recurring conflicts have put the economy under severe pressure 8 The majority of Gaza s Palestinian inhabitants are Muslim although there is also a tiny Christian minority Gaza has a very young population with roughly 75 under the age of 25 The city is currently administered by a 14 member municipal council As of January 2024 as part of the Israel Hamas war the Israeli army has bombed large portions of the city and surrounding areas of the Northern Gaza Strip destroying many buildings and infrastructure Almost all residents have fled or been evacuated to Southern Gaza or killed as a result Therefore previous recorded or estimated population numbers have become outdated 9 Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 Bronze Age 2 2 Iron Age and the Hebrew Bible 2 3 Israelite to Persian periods 2 4 Hellenistic period 2 5 Roman period 2 6 Byzantine period 2 7 Early Islamic period 2 8 Crusader and Ayyubid periods 2 9 Mamluk period 2 10 Ottoman period 2 11 First World War and British Mandate 2 12 Egyptian and Israeli rule 2 13 Palestinian control 3 Geography 3 1 Old City 3 2 Districts 3 3 Climate 4 Demographics 4 1 Population 4 2 Religion 5 Economy 6 Culture 6 1 Cultural centers and museums 6 2 Cuisine 6 3 Costumes and embroidery 6 4 Sports 7 Governance 8 Education 8 1 Universities 8 2 Public library 9 Landmarks 10 Infrastructure 10 1 Water supply and sanitation 10 2 Power grid 10 3 Solid waste management 11 Health care 12 Transportation 13 International relations 13 1 Twin towns and sister cities 14 See also 15 References 16 Bibliography 17 External linksEtymologyThe name Gaza is first known from military records of Thutmose III of Egypt in the 15th century BCE 10 In Neo Assyrian sources reflecting the late Philistine period it was known as Hazat 11 In Semitic languages the meaning of the city name is fierce strong 12 The Hebrew name of the city is ʿAzza ע ז ה the ayin at the beginning of the word represented a voiced pharyngeal fricative in Biblical Hebrew but in Modern Hebrew it is silent 13 12 According to Shahin the Ancient Egyptians called it gḏt Ghazzat prized city and the Muslims often referred to it as Ghazzat Hashem in honor of Hashim the great grandfather of Muhammad who according to Islamic tradition is buried in the city 14 Other proper Arabic transliterations for the Arabic name are Ghazzah or Ġazzah DIN 31635 Accordingly Gaza might be spelled Gazza in English HistoryMain article History of Gaza Gaza s history of habitation dates back 5 000 years making it one of the oldest cities in the world 15 Located on the Mediterranean coastal route between North Africa and the Levant for most of its history it served as a key entrepot of southern Palestine and an important stopover on the spice trade route traversing the Red Sea 15 16 Bronze Age Settlement in the region of Gaza dates back to the ancient Egyptian fortress built in Canaanite territory at Tell es Sakan to the south of present day Gaza The site went into decline throughout the Early Bronze Age II as its trade with Egypt sharply decreased 17 Another urban center known as Tell el Ajjul began to grow along the Wadi Ghazza riverbed During the Middle Bronze Age a revived Tell es Sakan became the southernmost locality in Palestine serving as a fort In 1650 BCE when the Canaanite Hyksos occupied Egypt a second city developed on the ruins of the first Tell as Sakan However it was abandoned by the 14th century BCE at the end of the Bronze Age 17 During the reign of Tuthmosis III r 1479 1425 BCE the city became a stop on the Syrian Egyptian caravan route and was mentioned in the 14th century Amarna letters as Azzati 18 Gaza later served as Egypt s administrative capital in Canaan 19 Gaza remained under Egyptian control for 350 years until it was conquered by the Philistines in the 12th century BCE 18 Iron Age and the Hebrew Bible In the 12th century BCE Gaza became part of the Philistine pentapolis 18 According to the Hebrew Bible s Book of Judges Gaza was the place where Samson was imprisoned by the Philistines and met his death Judges 16 21 Israelite to Persian periods After being ruled by the Israelites Assyrians and then the Egyptians Gaza achieved relative independence and prosperity under the Persian Empire Hellenistic period Alexander the Great besieged Gaza the last city to resist his conquest on his path to Egypt for five months before finally capturing it 332 BCE 18 the inhabitants were either killed or taken captive Alexander brought in local Bedouins to populate Gaza and organized the city into a polis or city state In Seleucid times Seleucus I Nicator or one of his successors renamed Gaza into Seleucia to control the surrounding area against the Ptolemies citation needed Greek culture consequently took root and Gaza earned a reputation as a flourishing center of Hellenistic learning and philosophy 20 During the Third War of the Diadochi Ptolemy I Soter defeated Demetrius I of Macedon in a battle near Gaza in 312 BCE In 277 BCE following Ptolemy II s successful campaign against the Nabataeans the Ptolemaic fortress of Gaza took control of the spice trade with Gerrha and Southern Arabia Gaza experienced another siege in 96 BCE by the Hasmonean king Alexander Jannaeus who utterly overthrew the city killing 500 senators who had fled into the temple of Apollo for safety 21 Roman period nbsp Statue of Zeus that was unearthed in Gaza in the 20th centuryJosephus notes that Gaza was resettled under the rule of Antipater who cultivated friendly relations with Gazans Ascalonites and neighboring cities after being appointed governor of Idumea by Jannaeus 22 Rebuilt after it was incorporated into the Roman Empire in 63 BCE under the command of Pompey Magnus Gaza then became a part of the Roman province of Judaea 18 It was targeted by Jewish forces during their rebellion against Roman rule in 66 and was partially destroyed 23 It nevertheless remained an important city even more so after the destruction of Jerusalem 24 Throughout the Roman period Gaza was a prosperous city and received grants and attention from several emperors 18 A 500 member senate governed Gaza and a diverse variety of Greeks Romans Phoenicians Jews Egyptians Persians and Bedouin populated the city Gaza s mint issued coins adorned with the busts of gods and emperors 25 During his visit in 130 CE 26 Emperor Hadrian personally inaugurated wrestling boxing and oratorical competitions in Gaza s new stadium dubious discuss which became known from Alexandria to Damascus The city was adorned with many pagan temples the main cult being that of Marnas Other temples were dedicated to Zeus Helios Aphrodite Apollo Athena and the local Tyche 18 Christianity began to spread throughout Gaza in 250 CE including in the port of Maiuma 27 28 29 30 First evidence of a Bishop of Gaza is from early 4th century when St Sylvan served in that capacity 31 Byzantine period Following the division of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century CE Gaza remained under control of the Eastern Roman Empire that in turn became the Byzantine Empire The city prospered and was an important center for the southern Palestine 32 A Christian bishopric was established at Gaza Conversion to Christianity in Gaza was accelerated under Saint Porphyrius between 396 and 420 In 402 Theodosius II ordered all eight of the city s pagan temples destroyed 18 and four years later Empress Aelia Eudocia commissioned the construction of a church atop the ruins of the Temple of Marnas 33 It was during this era that the Christian philosopher Aeneas of Gaza called Gaza his hometown the Athens of Asia 34 A large synagogue existed in Gaza in the 6th century according to excavations 35 Early Islamic period nbsp Depiction of a Gaza building in the Byzantine Umm ar Rasas mosaics circa 8th century CE during the Abbasid CaliphateIn c 638 Gaza was captured by Arab Muslim forces under Amr ibn al As in the years following the Battle of Ajnadayn between the Byzantine Empire and the Rashidun Caliphate in central Palestine 36 It was captured by Amr s forces about three years later Believed to be the site where Muhammad s great grandfather Hashim ibn Abd Manaf was buried Gaza was not destroyed and its inhabitants were not attacked by Amr s army despite the city s stiff and lengthy resistance though its Byzantine garrison was massacred 37 The arrival of the Muslim Arabs brought significant changes to Gaza at first some of its churches were transformed into mosques including the present Great Mosque of Gaza the oldest in the city which was later rebuilt by Sultan Baibars who endowed it with a huge manuscript library containing over 20 000 manuscripts in the 13th century 37 A large segment of the population swiftly adopted Islam 38 39 and Arabic became the official language 39 In 767 Muhammad ibn Idris ash Shafi i was born in Gaza and lived his early childhood there he founded the Shafi i religious code one of the four major Sunni Muslim schools of law fiqh 40 Security which was well maintained during early Muslim rule was the key to Gaza s prosperity Although alcohol was banned in Islam the Jewish and Christian communities were allowed to maintain wine production and grapes a major cash crop of the city were exported mainly to Egypt 41 Because it bordered the desert Gaza was vulnerable to warring nomadic groups 41 In 796 it was destroyed during a civil war between the Arab tribes of the area 42 However by the 10th century the city had been rebuilt by the Abbasids during Abbasid rule the Jerusalemite geographer al Muqaddasi described Gaza as a large town lying on the highroad to Egypt on the border of the desert 43 In 978 the Fatimids established an agreement with Alptakin the Turk ruler of Damascus whereby the Fatimids would control Gaza and the land south of it including Egypt while Alptakin controlled the region north of the city 44 Crusader and Ayyubid periods The Crusaders conquered Gaza in 1100 and King Baldwin III built a castle in the city for the Knights Templar in 1149 33 He also had the Great Mosque converted back into a church the Cathedral of Saint John 26 In 1154 Arab traveller al Idrisi wrote that Gaza is today very populous and in the hands of the Crusaders 45 In 1187 the Ayyubids led by Sultan Saladin captured Gaza and in 1191 destroyed the city s fortifications Richard the Lionheart apparently refortified the city in 1192 but the walls were dismantled again as a result of the Treaty of Ramla agreed upon months later in 1193 33 Ayyubid rule ended in 1260 after the Mongols under Hulagu Khan completely destroyed Gaza which became his southernmost conquest 39 Mamluk period Following Gaza s destruction by the Mongols Muslim slave soldiers based in Egypt known as the Mamluks began to administer the area In 1277 the Mamluks made Gaza the capital of a province that bore its name Mamlakat Ghazzah Governorship of Gaza This district extended along the coastal plain of Palestine from Rafah in the south to just north of Caesarea and to the east as far as the Samarian highlands and the Hebron Hills Other major towns in the province included Qaqun Ludd and Ramla 39 46 Gaza which entered a period of tranquility under the Mamluks was used by them as an outpost in their offensives against the Crusaders which ended in 1290 47 In 1294 an earthquake devastated Gaza and five years later the Mongols again destroyed all that had been restored by the Mamluks 39 Syrian geographer al Dimashqi described Gaza in 1300 as a city so rich in trees it looks like a cloth of brocade spread out upon the land 25 Under the governorship of Emir Sanjar al Jawli Gaza was transformed into a flourishing city and much of the Mamluk era architecture dates back to his reign between 1311 1320 and again in 1342 48 49 In 1348 the bubonic plague spread to the city killing the majority of its inhabitants and in 1352 Gaza suffered from a destructive flood which was rare in that arid part of Palestine 50 However when Arab traveller and writer Ibn Battuta visited the city in 1355 he noted that it was large and populous and has many mosques 51 The Mamluks contributed to Gazan architecture by building mosques Islamic colleges hospitals caravansaries and public baths 17 The Mamluks allowed Jews to return to the city after being expelled by the Crusaders and the Jewish community prospered during Mamluk rule Towards the end of the Mamluk period the Jewish community in Gaza was the third largest in Palestine after the communities in Safad and Jerusalem citation needed In 1481 an Italian Jewish traveller Meshulam of Volterra wrote of Gaza It is a fine and renowned place and its fruits are very renowned and good Bread and good wine is to be found there but only Jews make wine Gaza has a circumference of four miles and no walls It is about six miles from the sea and situated in a valley and on a hill It has a population as numerous as the sands of the sea and there are about fifty sixty Jewish householders artisans They have a small but pretty Synagogue and vineyards and fields and houses They had already begun to make the new wine The Jews live at the top of the hill May God exalt them There are also four Samaritan householders who live on the hillside 52 Ottoman period nbsp Painting of Gaza by David Roberts 1839 in The Holy Land Syria Idumea Arabia Egypt and Nubia nbsp Gaza in 1841 as mapped by the British Royal Engineers after the Oriental Crisis of 1840 nbsp Muslims studying the Qur an with Gaza in the background painting by Harry Fenn circa 1884 nbsp The Old Town Gaza 1862 1863 Picture by Frances FrithIn 1516 Gaza at the time a small town with an inactive port ruined buildings and reduced trade was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire 50 The Ottoman army quickly and efficiently crushed a small scale uprising 53 and the local population generally welcomed them as fellow Sunni Muslims 50 The city was then made the capital of the Gaza Sanjak part of the larger Province of Damascus 54 The Ridwan family named after governor Ridwan Pasha was the first dynasty to govern Gaza and would continue to rule the city for over a century 55 Under Ahmad ibn Ridwan the city became a cultural and religious center as a result of the partnership between the governor and prominent Islamic jurist Khayr al Din al Ramli who was based in the nearby town of al Ramla 56 During the rule of Husayn Pasha strife between the settled population and the nearby Bedouin tribes was dramatically reduced allowing Gaza to peacefully prosper The Ridwan period is described as a golden age for Gaza a time when it served as the virtual capital of Palestine 57 58 The Great Mosque was restored and six other mosques constructed while Turkish baths and market stalls proliferated 50 After the death of Musa Pasha Husayn s successor Ottoman officials were appointed to govern in place of the Ridwans The Ridwan period was Gaza s last golden age during Ottoman rule After the family was removed from office the city gradually declined 59 Starting in the early 19th century Gaza was culturally dominated by neighboring Egypt Muhammad Ali of Egypt conquered Gaza in 1832 26 American scholar Edward Robinson visited the city in 1838 describing it as a thickly populated town larger than Jerusalem with its Old City lying upon a hilltop while its suburbs laid on the nearby plain 60 The city benefited from trade and commerce because of its strategic position on the caravan route between Egypt and northern Syria as well as from producing soap and cotton for trade with the government local Arab tribes and the Bedouin of Wadi Arabah and Ma an 61 The bazaars of Gaza were well supplied and were noted by Robinson as far better than those of Jerusalem 62 Robinson noted that virtually all of Gaza s vestiges of ancient history and antiquity had disappeared due to constant conflict and occupation 63 By the mid 19th century Gaza s port was eclipsed by the ports of Jaffa and Haifa but it retained its fishing fleet 64 The bubonic plague struck Gaza again in 1839 and the city lacking political and economic stability went into a state of stagnation In 1840 Egyptian and Ottoman troops battled outside of Gaza The Ottomans won control of the territory effectively ending Egyptian rule over Palestine However the battles brought about more death and destruction in Gaza whilst the city was still recovering from the effects of the plague 50 First World War and British Mandate nbsp Gaza after surrender to British forces 1918While leading the Allied Forces during World War I the British won control of the city during the Third Battle of Gaza in 1917 50 After the war Gaza was included in Mandatory Palestine 65 In the 1930s and 1940s Gaza underwent major expansion New neighborhoods were built along the coast and the southern and eastern plains International organizations and missionary groups funded most of this construction 64 Egyptian and Israeli rule In the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan Gaza was assigned to be part of an Arab state in Palestine but was occupied by Egypt following the 1948 Arab Israeli War Gaza s growing population was augmented by an influx of refugees fleeing or expelled from nearby cities towns and villages that were captured by Israel In 1957 Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser made a number of reforms in Gaza which included expanding educational opportunities and the civil services providing housing and establishing local security forces 66 Gaza was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six Day War following the defeat of the Egyptian Army Frequent conflicts have erupted between Palestinians and the Israeli authorities in the city since the 1970s The tensions led to the First Intifada in 1987 Gaza was a center of confrontation during this uprising 50 and economic conditions in the city worsened 67 Palestinian control See also Gaza humanitarian crisis 2023 present and Gaza Strip evacuations nbsp Gaza City in 2006In September 1993 the leaders of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization PLO signed the Oslo Accords The agreement called for Palestinian administration of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank town of Jericho which was implemented in May 1994 Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza leaving a new Palestinian National Authority PNA to administer and police the city 20 The PNA led by Yasser Arafat chose Gaza as its first provincial headquarters The newly established Palestinian National Council held its inaugural session in Gaza in March 1996 64 In 2005 Israel withdrew its troops from the Gaza Strip and removed the thousands of Israelis who had settled in the territory 68 See Israel s unilateral disengagement plan of 2004 Since the Israeli withdrawal Hamas has been engaged in a sometimes violent power struggle with its rival Palestinian organisation Fatah On January 25 2006 Hamas won a surprise victory in the elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority In 2007 Hamas overthrew Fatah forces in the Gaza Strip and Hamas members were dismissed from the PNA government in the West Bank in response Currently Hamas recognized as a terror organization by most western countries has de facto control of the city and Strip 69 nbsp El Remal aera in Gaza City on 9 October 2023In March 2008 a coalition of human rights groups charged that the Israeli blockade of the city had caused the humanitarian situation in Gaza to have reached its worst point since Israel occupied the territory in the 1967 Six Day War 70 and that Israeli air strikes targeting militants in the densely populated areas have often killed bystanders as well 68 In 2008 Israel commenced an assault against Gaza 71 Israel stated the strikes were in response to repetitive rocket and mortar attacks from the Gaza Strip into Israel since 2005 while the Palestinians stated that they were responding to Israel s military incursions and blockade of the Gaza Strip In January 2009 at least 1 300 Palestinians were killed in the conflict 72 73 In November 2012 after a week of conflict between Israel and Palestinian militant groups a ceasefire brokered by Egypt was announced on November 21 74 In the 2014 Israel Gaza conflict 2 205 Palestinians including at least 1 483 civilians and 71 Israelis including 66 soldiers and one foreign national in Israel were killed according to UN OCHA 75 According to an analysis by the New York Times men ages 20 29 who are most likely to be militants are most overrepresented in the death toll 76 During the 2021 Israel Palestine crisis the 13 story Hanadi Tower which contained a political office of Hamas was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike 77 In 2023 the city was again targeted during the 2023 Israel Hamas war On 2 November the siege of Gaza City started 78 As of January 2024 Israel s offensive has either damaged or destroyed 70 80 of all buildings in northern Gaza 79 80 Geography nbsp Beach in Gaza CityCentral Gaza is situated on a low lying and round hill with an elevation of 14 metres 46 ft above sea level 81 Much of the modern city is built along the plain below the hill especially to the north and east forming Gaza s suburbs The beach and the port of Gaza are located 3 kilometres 1 9 mi west of the city s nucleus and the space in between is entirely built up on low lying hills 60 The municipal jurisdiction of the city today constitutes about 45 square kilometres 17 sq mi 2 Gaza is 78 kilometres 48 mi southwest of Jerusalem 71 kilometres 44 mi south of Tel Aviv 82 and 30 kilometres 19 mi north of Rafah 83 Surrounding localities include Beit Lahia Beit Hanoun and Jabalia to the north and the village of Abu Middein the refugee camp of Bureij and the city of Deir al Balah to the south 84 The population of Gaza depends on groundwater as the only source for drinking agricultural use and domestic supply The nearest stream is Wadi Ghazza to the south sourced from Abu Middein along the coastline It bears a small amount of water during the winter and virtually no water during the summer 85 Most of its water supply is diverted into Israel 86 The Gaza Aquifer along the coast is the main aquifer in the Gaza Strip and it consists mostly of Pleistocene sandstones Like most of the Gaza Strip Gaza is covered by quaternary soil clay minerals in the soil absorb many organic and inorganic chemicals which has partially alleviated the extent of groundwater contamination 85 nbsp Gaza Strip with Israeli controlled borders and limited fishing zone as of December 2012A prominent hill southeast of Gaza known as Tell al Muntar has an elevation of 270 feet 82 m above sea level For centuries it has been claimed as the place to which Samson brought the city gates of the Philistines The hill is crowned by a Muslim shrine maqam dedicated to Ali al Muntar Ali of the Watchtower There are old Muslim graves around the surrounding trees 87 and the lintel of the doorway of the maqam has two medieval Arabic scriptures 18 Al Furqan neighborhood is dubbed al Furqan after a mosque in the city 88 89 Old City The Old City forms the main part of Gaza s nucleus It is roughly divided into two quarters the northern Daraj Quarter also known as the Muslim Quarter and the southern Zaytun Quarter which contained the Jewish and Christian quarters Most structures date from the Mamluk and Ottoman eras and some were built on top of earlier structures The ancient part of the Old City is about 1 6 square kilometres 0 62 sq mi 64 There were seven historic gates to the Old City Bab Asqalan Gate of Ascalon Bab al Darum Gate of Deir al Balah Bab al Bahr Gate of the Sea Bab Marnas Gate of Marnas Bab al Baladiyah Gate of the Town Bab al Khalil Gate of Hebron and Bab al Muntar Gate of Tell al Muntar 90 Some of the older buildings in Gaza s Old City use the ablaq style of decoration which features alternating layers of red and white masonry prevalent in the Mamluk era Daraj contains the Gold Qissariya Market as well as the Great Mosque of Gaza oldest mosque in Gaza 91 and the Sayed al Hashim Mosque 92 In Zaytun lies the Saint Porphryrius Church the Katib al Wilaya Mosque and Hamam as Sammara the Samaritan s Bathhouse 93 Districts nbsp Eastern Gaza CityGaza is composed of thirteen districts hayy outside of the Old City 94 The first extension of Gaza beyond its city center was the district of Shuja iyya built on a hill just east and southeast of the Old City during the Ayyubid period 95 In the northeast is the Mamluk era district of Tuffah 96 which is roughly divided into eastern and western halves and was originally located within the Old City s walls 91 During the 1930s and 1940s a new residential district Rimal currently divided into the districts of Northern Rimal and Southern Rimal 94 was constructed on the sand dunes west of the city center and the district of Zeitoun was built along Gaza s southern and southwestern borders while the Judeide the New and Turukman neighborhoods of Shuja iyya expanded into separate districts in the northeast and southeast respectively 64 97 Judeide also known Shuja iyyat al Akrad was named after the Kurdish military units who settled there during the Mamluk era while Turukman was named after the Turkmen military units who settled there 95 nbsp View of Gaza from the portThe areas between Rimal and the Old City became the districts of Sabra and Daraj 96 In the northwest is the district of Nasser built in the early 1950s and named in honor of Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser 98 The district of Sheikh Radwan developed in the 1970s is 3 kilometres 1 9 mi to the north of the Old City and is named after Sheikh Radwan the tomb of whom is located within the district 96 99 Gaza has absorbed the village of al Qubbah near the border with Israel as well as the Palestinian refugee camp of al Shati along the coast 84 although the latter is not under the city s municipal jurisdiction In the late 1990s the PNA built the more affluent neighborhood of Tel al Hawa along the southern edge of Rimal 100 Along the southern coast of the city is the neighborhood of Sheikh Ijlin 94 Climate Gaza has a hot semi arid climate Koppen BSh with Mediterranean characteristics featuring mild rainy winters and dry hot summers 101 Spring arrives around March or April and the hottest month is August with the average high being 31 7 C 89 1 F The coolest month is January with temperatures usually peaking at 18 3 C 64 9 F Rain is scarce and falls almost exclusively between November and March with annual rainfall totalling approximately 395 millimetres or 15 6 inches 102 Climate data for GazaMonth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearMean daily maximum C F 18 3 64 9 18 9 66 0 21 1 70 0 24 4 75 9 27 2 81 0 29 4 84 9 30 6 87 1 31 7 89 1 30 6 87 1 28 9 84 0 25 0 77 0 20 6 69 1 25 6 78 1 Daily mean C F 13 9 57 0 14 5 58 1 16 4 61 5 19 1 66 4 21 8 71 2 24 5 76 1 26 0 78 8 27 0 80 6 25 6 78 1 23 3 73 9 19 8 67 6 16 1 61 0 20 7 69 2 Mean daily minimum C F 9 4 48 9 10 0 50 0 11 6 52 9 13 8 56 8 16 4 61 5 19 5 67 1 21 4 70 5 22 2 72 0 20 5 68 9 17 7 63 9 14 5 58 1 11 6 52 9 15 7 60 3 Average rainfall mm inches 104 4 1 76 3 0 30 1 2 13 0 5 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 1 18 0 7 64 2 5 81 3 2 394 15 4 Average relative humidity 85 84 83 82 84 87 86 87 86 74 78 81 83Mean monthly sunshine hours 204 6 192 1 241 8 264 0 331 7 339 0 353 4 337 9 306 0 275 9 237 0 204 6 3 288Mean daily sunshine hours 6 6 6 8 7 8 8 8 10 7 11 3 11 4 10 9 10 2 8 9 7 9 6 6 9 1Source Arab Meteorology Book 103 DemographicsPopulation Year Population1596 6 000 104 1838 15 000 16 000 61 1882 16 000 105 1897 36 000 105 1906 40 000 105 1914 42 000 106 1922 17 480 107 1931 17 046 108 1945 34 250 109 110 1982 100 272 111 1997 306 113 112 2007 449 221 3 2012 590 481 3 According to Ottoman tax records in 1557 Gaza had 2 477 male taxpayers 113 The statistics from 1596 show that Gaza s Muslim population consisted of 456 households 115 bachelors 59 religious persons and 19 disabled persons In addition to the Muslim figure there were 141 jundiyan or soldiers in the Ottoman army Of the Christians there were 294 households and seven bachelors while there were 73 Jewish households and eight Samaritan households In total an estimated 6 000 people lived in Gaza making it the third largest city in Ottoman Palestine after Jerusalem and Safad 104 In 1838 there were roughly 4 000 Muslim and 100 Christian tax payers implying a population of about 15 000 or 16 000 making it larger than Jerusalem at the time The total number of Christian families was 57 61 Before the outbreak of World War I the population of Gaza had reached 42 000 however the fierce battles between Allied Forces and the Ottomans and their German allies in 1917 in Gaza resulted in a massive population decrease 106 The following census which was conducted in 1922 by the British Mandate authorities shows a sharp decrease in population which stood at 17 480 residents 16 722 Muslims 701 Christians 54 Jews and three Metawilehs 107 The 1931 census lists 17 046 inhabitants 16 356 Muslims 689 Christians and one Jew and another 4 597 in the suburbs 4 561 Muslims and 36 Christians 114 The village statistics of 1938 list Gaza s population as 20 500 with 5 282 in nearby suburbs 115 The village statistics of 1945 list the population as 34 250 33 160 Muslims 1 010 Christians and 80 Jews 109 According to a 1997 census by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics PCBS Gaza and the adjacent al Shati camp had a population of 353 115 of which 50 9 were males and 49 1 females Gaza had an overwhelmingly young population with more than half being between the ages of infancy to 19 60 8 About 28 8 were between the ages of 20 to 44 7 7 between 45 and 64 and 3 9 were over the age of 64 112 nbsp Men from Gaza 19th century nbsp People in Gaza City in 1956A massive influx of Palestinian refugees swelled Gaza s population after the 1948 Arab Israeli War By 1967 the population had grown to about six times its 1948 size 64 In 1997 51 8 of Gaza s inhabitants were refugees or their descendants 116 The city s population has continued to increase since that time to 590 481 in 2017 making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories 3 117 Gaza City has one of the highest overall growth rates in the world Its population density is 9 982 69 km2 26 424 76 sq mi comparable to New York City 10 725 4 km2 27 778 7 sq mi half of Paris density 21 000 km2 55 000 sq mi 64 118 In 2007 poverty unemployment and poor living conditions were widespread and many residents received United Nations food aid 64 119 Religion The population of Gaza is overwhelmingly composed of Muslims who mostly follow Sunni Islam 64 During the Fatimid period Shia Islam was dominant in Gaza but after Saladin conquered the city in 1187 he promoted a strictly Sunni religious and educational policy which at the time was instrumental in uniting his Arab and Turkish soldiers 17 Gaza is home to a small Palestinian Christian minority of about 3 500 people 120 The majority live in the Zaytun Quarter of the Old City and belong to the Greek Orthodox Roman Catholic and Baptist denominations 121 In 1906 there were about 750 Christians of which 700 were Orthodox and 50 were Roman Catholic 105 Gaza s Jewish community was roughly 3 000 years old 64 and in 1481 there were sixty Jewish households 122 Most of them fled from Gaza after the 1929 Palestine riots when they consisted of fifty families 64 In Sami Hadawi s land and population survey Gaza had a population of 34 250 including 80 Jews in 1945 109 Most of them left the city after the 1948 War due to mutual distrust between them and the Arab majority 123 Today there are no Jews living in Gaza 124 EconomyMain article Economy of Gaza nbsp Gaza City in 2012 nbsp Gaza park 2012 nbsp A beach resort in Gaza CityThe major agricultural products are strawberries citrus dates olives flowers and various vegetables Pollution and high demand for water have reduced the productive capacity of farms in the Gaza Strip 64 Small scale industries include the production of plastics construction materials textiles furniture pottery tiles copperware and carpets Since the Oslo Accords thousands of residents have been employed in government ministries and security services UNRWA and international organizations 64 Minor industries include textiles and food processing A variety of wares are sold in Gaza s street bazaars including carpets pottery wicker furniture and cotton clothing The upscale Gaza Mall opened in July 2010 125 126 A report by human rights and development groups published in 2008 stated that Gaza had suffered a long term pattern of economic stagnation and dire development indicators the severity which was increased exponentially by the Israeli and Egyptian blockades 8 The report cited a number of economic indicators to illustrate the point In 2008 95 of Gaza s industrial operations were suspended due to lack of access inputs for production and export problems In 2009 unemployment in Gaza was close to 40 The private sector which generates 53 of all jobs in Gaza was devastated and businesses went bankrupt In June 2005 3 900 factories in Gaza employed 35 000 people by December 2007 only 1 700 were still employed The construction industry was paralyzed with tens of thousands of laborers out of work The agriculture sector was hard hit affecting nearly 40 000 workers dependent on cash crops 8 Gaza s food prices rose during the blockade with wheat flour going up 34 rice up 21 and baby powder up 30 In 2007 households spent an average of 62 of their total income on food compared to 37 in 2004 In less than a decade the number of families depending on UNRWA food aid increased tenfold 8 In 2008 80 of the population relied on humanitarian aid in 2008 compared to 63 in 2006 According to a report by OXFAM in 2009 Gaza suffered from a serious shortage of housing educational facilities health facilities and infrastructure along with an inadequate sewage system that contributed to hygiene and public health problems 8 Following a significant easing of the closure policy in 2010 the economy of Gaza began to see a substantial recovery from anemic levels during the height of the blockade 127 The economy of Gaza grew by 8 in the first 11 months of 2010 128 Economic activity is largely supported by foreign aid donations 128 There are a number of hotels in Gaza including the Palestine Grand Palace Adam al Amal al Quds Cliff al Deira and Marna House All except the Palestine Hotel are located along in the coastal Rimal district The United Nations UN has a beach club on the same street Gaza is not a frequent destination for tourists and most foreigners who stay in hotels are journalists aid workers and UN and Red Cross personnel Upmarket hotels include the al Quds and the al Deira Hotel 129 CultureCultural centers and museums nbsp Nehru Library and Cultural Center at Gaza s Al Azhar UniversityThe Rashad Shawa Cultural Center located in Rimal was completed in 1988 and named after its founder former mayor Rashad al Shawa 130 A two story building with a triangular plan the cultural centers performs three main functions a meeting place for large gatherings during annual festivals a place to stage exhibitions and a library 131 The French Cultural Center is a symbol of French partnership and cooperation in Gaza It holds art exhibits concerts film screenings and other activities Whenever possible French artists are invited to display their artwork and more frequently Palestinian artists from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are invited to participate in art competitions 132 Established in 1998 the Arts and Crafts Village is a children s cultural center with the objectives of promoting comprehensive regular and periodic documentation of creative art in all of its forms It interacted on a large scale with a class of artists from different nationalities and organized around 100 exhibitions for creative art ceramics graphics carvings and others Nearly 10 000 children from throughout the Gaza Strip have benefited from the Arts and Crafts Village 133 The Gaza Theater financed by contributions from Norway opened in 2004 134 The theater does not receive much funding from the PNA depending mostly on donations from foreign aid agencies The A M Qattan Foundation a Palestinian arts charity runs several workshops in Gaza to develop young artistic talent and impart drama skills to teachers The Gaza Theater Festival was inaugurated in 2005 135 The Gaza Museum of Archaeology founded by Jawdat N Khoudary opened in the summer of 2008 The museum collection features thousands of items including a statue of a full breasted Aphrodite in a diaphanous gown images of other ancient deities and oil lamps featuring menorahs 136 Cuisine Main article Palestinian cuisine Gaza Gaza s cuisine is characterized by its generous use of spices and chillies Other major flavors and ingredients include dill chard garlic cumin lentils chickpeas pomegranates sour plums and tamarind Many of the traditional dishes rely on clay pot cooking which preserves the flavor and texture of the vegetables and results in fork tender meat Traditionally most Gazan dishes are seasonal and rely on ingredients indigenous to the area and its surrounding villages Poverty has also played an important role in determining many of the city s simple meatless dishes and stews such as saliq wa adas chard and lentils and bisara skinless fava beans mashed with dried mulukhiya leaves and chilies 137 Seafood is a key aspect of Gaza life and a local staple 138 Some well known seafood dishes include zibdiyit gambari literally shrimps in a clay pot and shatta which are crabs stuffed with red hot chili pepper dip then baked in the oven Fish is either fried or grilled after being stuffed with cilantro garlic chillies and cumin and marinated with various spices It is also a key ingredient in sayyadiya rice cooked with caramelized onions a generous amount of whole garlic cloves large chunks of well marinated fried fish and spices such as turmeric cinnamon and cumin 137 Many of the 1948 era refugees were fellahin peasants who ate seasonal foods Sumaghiyyeh popular in Gaza not just on Ramadan but all year round is a mixture of sumac tahina and water combined with chard chunks of beef and chickpeas The dish is topped with crushed dill seeds chillies and fried garlic and served in bowls 137 Maftool is a wheat based dish flavored with dried sour plums that is served like couscous or shaped into little balls and steamed over stew or soup 139 Most Gaza restaurants are located in the Rimal district Al Andalus which specializes in fish and seafood is popular with tourists as are al Sammak and the upscale Roots Club 140 Atfaluna is a stylish restaurant near Gaza port run and staffed by deaf people with the goal of building a society that is more accepting of people with disabilities 141 Throughout the Old City there are street stalls that sell cooked beans hummus roasted sweet potatoes falafel and kebabs Coffee houses qahwa serve Arabic coffee and tea Gaza s well known sweet shops Saqqala and Arafat sell common Arab sweet products and are located off Wehda Street Alcohol is a rarity found only in the United Nations Beach Club 142 Costumes and embroidery See also Palestinian costumes nbsp Chest panel from Gaza dressGauze is reputed to have originated in Gaza Cloth for the Gaza thob was often woven at nearby Majdal Black or blue cottons or striped pink and green fabric that had been made in Majdal continued to be woven throughout the Gaza Strip by refugees from the coastal plain villages until the 1960s Thobs here had narrow tight straight sleeves Embroidery was much less dense than that applied in Hebron The most popular motifs included scissors muqass combs mushut and triangles hijab often arranged in clusters of fives sevens and threes as the use of odd numbers is considered in Arab folklore to be effective against the evil eye 143 Circa 1990 Hamas and other Islamic movements sought to increase the use of the hijab headscarf among Gazan women especially urban and educated women and the hijab styles since introduced have varied according to class and group identity 144 Sports Palestine Stadium the Palestinian national stadium is located in Gaza and has a capacity for 10 000 people Gaza has several local football teams that participate in the Gaza Strip League They include Khidmat al Shatia al Shati Camp Ittihad al Shuja iyya Shuja iyya neighborhood Gaza Sports Club and al Zeitoun Zeitoun neighborhood 145 Governance nbsp Said al Shawa the first mayor of GazaSee also Palestinian Legislative Council and Politics of the Palestinian National Authority Today Gaza serves as the administrative capital of the Gaza Governorate 146 It contains the Palestinian Legislative Council building The first municipal council of Gaza was formed in 1893 under the chairmanship of Ali Khalil Shawa Modern mayorship however began in 1906 with his son Said al Shawa who was appointed mayor by the Ottoman authorities 147 Al Shawa oversaw the construction of Gaza s first hospital several new mosques and schools the restoration of the Great Mosque and the introduction of the modern plow to the city 148 In 1922 British colonial secretary Winston Churchill requested that Gaza develop its own constitution under Mandatory Palestine However it was rejected by the Palestinians 149 On July 24 1994 the PNA proclaimed Gaza the first city council in the Palestinian territories 1 The 2005 Palestinian municipal elections were not held in Gaza nor in Khan Yunis or Rafah Instead Fatah party officials selected the smaller cities towns and villages to hold elections assuming they would fare better in less urban areas The rival Hamas party however won the majority of seats in seven of the ten municipalities selected for the first round with voter turnout being around 80 150 2007 saw violent clashes between the two parties that left over 100 dead ultimately resulting in Hamas taking over the city 151 Normally Palestinian municipalities with populations over 20 000 and that serve as administrative centers have municipal councils consisting of fifteen members including the mayor The current municipal council of Gaza however consists of fourteen members including the mayor Nizar Hijazi 152 Education nbsp Schoolgirls in Gaza lining up for class 2009 nbsp The main conference hall of the Islamic University of GazaAccording to the PCBS in 1997 approximately over 90 of Gaza s population over the age of 10 was literate Of the city s population 140 848 were enrolled in schools 39 8 in elementary school 33 8 in secondary school and 26 4 in high school About 11 134 people received bachelor diplomas or higher diplomas 153 In 2006 there were 210 schools in Gaza 151 were run by the Education Ministry of the Palestinian National Authority 46 were run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and 13 were private schools A total of 154 251 students were enrolled and 5 877 teachers were employed 154 The currently downtrodden economy has affected education in the Gaza Strip severely In September 2007 a UNRWA survey in the Gaza Strip revealed that there was a nearly 80 failure rate in schools grades four to nine with up to 90 failure rates in mathematics In January 2008 the United Nations Children s Fund reported that schools in Gaza had been canceling classes that were high on energy consumption such as information technology science labs and extra curricular activities 8 Universities Gaza has many universities The four main universities in the city are al Azhar University Gaza al Quds Open University al Aqsa University and the Islamic University of Gaza The Islamic University consisting of ten facilities was founded by a group of businessmen in 1978 making it the first University in Gaza It had an enrollment of 20 639 students 155 Al Azhar is generally secular and was founded in 1992 Al Aqsa University was established in 1991 Al Quds Open University established its Gaza Educational Region campus in 1992 in a rented building in the center of the city originally with 730 students Because of the rapid increase of the number of students it constructed the first university owned building in the Nasser District In 2006 07 it had an enrollment of 3 778 students 156 Public library The Public Library of Gaza is located off Wehda Street and has a collection of nearly 10 000 books in Arabic English and French A total area of about 1 410 square metres 15 200 sq ft the building consists of two floors and a basement The library was opened in 1999 after cooperation dating from 1996 by Gaza under mayor Aoun Shawa the municipality of Dunkerque and the World Bank The library s primary objectives are to provide sources of information that meets the needs of beneficiaries provide necessary facilities for access to available information sources and organizing various cultural programs such as cultural events seminars lectures film presentations videos art and book exhibitions 157 Landmarks nbsp Sayed al Hashim Mosque where the Islamic prophet Mohammed s great grandfather Hashim ibn Abd Manaf c 464 497 is thought to be buried nbsp World War I Cemetery in GazaLandmarks in Gaza include the Great Mosque in the Old City Originally a pagan temple it was consecrated a Greek Orthodox church by the Byzantines 158 then a mosque in the 8th century by the Arabs The Crusaders transformed it into a church but it was reestablished as a mosque soon after Gaza s reconquest by the Muslims 91 It is the oldest and largest in the Gaza Strip 159 Other mosques in the Old City include the Mamluk era Sayed Hashem Mosque that believed to house the tomb of Hashem ibn Abd al Manaf in its dome 160 There is also the nearby Kateb al Welaya Mosque that dates back to 1334 In Shuja iyya is the Ibn Uthman Mosque which was built by Nablus native Ahmad ibn Uthman in 1402 and the Mahkamah Mosque built by Mamluk majordomo Birdibak al Ashrafi in 1455 In Tuffah is the Ibn Marwan Mosque 92 which was built in 1324 and houses the tomb of Ali ibn Marwan a holy man 97 The Unknown Soldier s Square located in Rimal is a monument dedicated to an unknown Palestinian fighter who died in the 1948 War In 1967 the monument was torn down by Israeli forces and remained a patch of sand 161 until a public garden was built there with funding from Norway Qasr al Basha originally a Mamluk era villa that was used by Napoleon during his brief sojourn in Gaza is located in the Old City and is today a girls school The Commonwealth Gaza War Cemetery often referred to as the British War Cemetery contains the graves of fallen Allied soldiers in World War I it sits 1 5 km 1 mi northeast of the city center in the Tuffah district near Salah al Din Road 91 162 InfrastructureSee also Water supply and sanitation in the Palestinian territories Water supply and sanitation According to the 1997 census by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics 98 1 of Gaza s residents were connected to the public water supply while the remainder used a private system 163 About 87 6 were connected to a public sewage system and 11 8 used a cesspit 164 The blockade on Gaza severely restricted the city s water supply The six main wells for drinking water did not function and roughly 50 of the population had no water on a regular basis The municipality claimed it was forced to pump water through salty wells because of the unavailability of electricity About 20 million liters of raw sewage and 40 million liters of partially treated water per day flowed into the Mediterranean Sea and untreated sewage bred insects and mice 165 As a water poor country Gaza is highly dependent on water from Wadi Ghazza The Gaza Aquifer is used as Gaza s main resource for obtaining quality water However the majority of water from Wadi Ghazza is transported to Jerusalem 166 Power grid In 2002 Gaza began operating its own power plant which was built by Enron 167 However the power plant was bombed and destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in 2006 Prior to the power plant s destruction Israel provided additional electricity to Gaza through the Israel Electric Corporation The plant was partially rebuilt by December 2007 168 and Israeli electricity continues to be sold to Gaza 169 Solid waste management Solid waste management is one of key compelling issues facing Gazans today These challenges are attributed to several factors the lack of investment in environmental systems less attention was given to environmental projects and the absence of law enforcement and the tendency towards crisis management One of the main aspects of this problem is the huge quantities of rubble and debris generated as a result of Israeli bombardments 170 171 For instance the scale of damage resulting from the Operation Protective Edge is unprecedented All governorates in the Gaza Strip witnessed extensive aerial bombardment naval shelling and artillery fire resulting in a considerable amount of rubble According to recent statistics more than 2 million tonnes of debris was generated Approximately 10 000 houses were leveled to the ground including two 13 story residential buildings A tremendous amount of debris remains scattered in Gaza Serious efforts and a high budget are required to handle this challenge More importantly and based on a UNEP study after the 2008 war the debris is highly likely to be contaminated with PAHs and probably with polychlorinated biphenyls PCBs dioxins and furan compounds 172 In January 2024 the Israeli army destroyed Gaza City s main reservoirs Al Balad and Al Rimal 173 Health care nbsp Al Quds hospital Gaza City following Israeli shelling in 2009Al Shifa Hospital the Cure was founded in the Rimal District by the British Mandate government in the 1940s Housed in an army barracks it originally provided quarantine and treatment for febrile diseases When Egypt administered Gaza this original department was relocated and al Shifa became the city s central hospital 174 When Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip after occupying it in the 1956 Suez Crisis Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser had al Shifa hospital expanded and improved He also ordered the establishment of a second hospital in the Nasser District with the same name In 1957 the quarantine and febrile disease hospital was rebuilt and named Nasser Hospital 98 Today al Shifa remains Gaza s largest medical complex 175 Throughout the late 1950s a new health administration Bandar Gaza Gaza Region was established and headed by Haidar Abdel Shafi Bandar Gaza rented several rooms throughout the city to set up government clinics that provided essential curative care 98 nbsp Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City during the Israel Hamas war on 11 October 2023The Ahli Arab Hospital founded in 1907 by the Church Missionary Society CMS was destroyed in World War I 176 It was rebuilt after the war by the CMS and in 1955 became the Southern Baptist Hospital 177 178 In 1982 the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem took leadership and the original name was restored 176 Al Quds Hospital located in the Tel al Hawa neighborhood and managed by the Palestine Red Crescent Society is the second largest hospital in Gaza 179 In 2007 hospitals experienced power cuts lasting for 8 12 hours daily and diesel required for power generators was in short supply According to the World Health Organization WHO the proportion of patients given permits to exit Gaza for medical care decreased from 89 3 in January 2007 to 64 3 in December 2007 8 In 2010 a team of doctors from Al Durrah Hospital in Gaza spent a year of training at the cystic fibrosis clinic at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem Upon their return to Gaza a cystic fibrosis center was established at Al Durrah although the most serious cases are referred to Hadassah 180 Al Rantisi Hospital provides care for children Transportation nbsp Ruins of Yasser Arafat International Airport in the southern Gaza Strip 2002The Rasheed Coastal Road runs along Gaza s coastline and connects it with the rest of Gaza Strip s coastline north and south The main highway of the Gaza Strip Salah al Din Road the modern Via Maris runs through the middle of Gaza City connecting it with Deir al Balah Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south and Jabalia and Beit Hanoun in the north 181 The northern crossing of Salah ad Din Street into Israel is the Erez Crossing and the crossing into Egypt is the Rafah Crossing Omar Mukhtar Street is the main road in the city of Gaza running north south branching off Salah ad Din Street stretching from the Rimal coastline and the Old City where it ends at the Gold Market 91 Prior to the Blockade of the Gaza Strip there existed regular lines of collective taxis to Ramallah and Hebron in the West Bank 182 Except for private cars Gaza City is served by taxis and buses The Yasser Arafat International Airport near Rafah opened in 1998 40 kilometres 25 mi south of Gaza Its runways and facilities were damaged by the Israeli Defense Forces in 2001 and 2002 rendering the airport unusable In August 2010 the tarmac ramp was destroyed by Palestinians seeking stones and recycled building materials 183 The Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel is located roughly 75 kilometres 47 mi northeast of the city 182 International relationsSee also List of twin towns and sister cities in the Palestinian Territories Twin towns and sister cities Gaza is twinned with nbsp Tel Aviv Israel 1998 184 nbsp Dunkirk France 1996 185 nbsp Turin Italy 1997 186 nbsp Tabriz Iran 187 nbsp Tromso Norway 2001 188 nbsp Cascais Portugal 189 nbsp Barcelona Spain 1998 190 nbsp Caceres Spain 2010 191 See also nbsp Palestine portalHistory of the Gaza Strip List of cities administered by the Palestinian Authority List of rulers of Gaza Outline of the State of PalestineReferences a b Palestine Facts Timeline Archived July 29 2013 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs PASSIA a b Gaza City Gaza Municipality Archived from the original on June 20 2008 Retrieved 2009 02 16 a b c d Main Indicators by Type of Locality Population Housing and Establishments Census 2017 PDF Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics PCBS Retrieved 2021 01 19 The New Oxford Dictionary of English 1998 ISBN 0 19 861263 X p 761 Gaza Strip gɑːze a strip of territory in Palestine on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza Gaza Gaza Strip International Dictionary of Historic Places Vol 4 Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers 1996 pp 87 290 a b Gaza Benefiting From Israel Easing Economic Blockade Gaza Border Opening Brings Little Relief a b c d e f g The Gaza Strip A Humanitarian Implosion PDF Oxfam Archived from the original PDF on 2013 12 24 Retrieved 2009 01 19 Gaza has become a moonscape in war When the battles stop many fear it will remain uninhabitable AP 23 November 2023 Retrieved 27 November 2023 H Jacob Katzenstein 1982 Gaza in the Egyptian Texts of the New Kingdom Journal of the American Oriental Society 102 1 111 113 doi 10 2307 601117 JSTOR 601117 Seymour Gitin Philistines in the Book of Kings in Andre Lemaire Baruch Halpern Matthew Joel Adams eds The Books of Kings Sources Composition Historiography and Reception BRILL 2010 pp 301 363 for the Neo Assyrian sources p 312 The four city states of the late Philistine period Iron Age II are Amqarruna Ekron Asdudu Ashdod Hazat Gaza and Isqaluna Ascalon with the former fifth capital Gath having been abandoned at this late phase a b Masalha Nur 2018 Palestine A Four Thousand Year History Zed Books Ltd p 81 ISBN 9781786992758 Blau Joshua 2010 Phonology and morphology of Biblical Hebrew an introduction Winona Lake Ind Eisenbrauns p 69 ISBN 9781575061290 Shahin 2005 p 414 a b Dumper et al 2007 p 155 Alan Johnston 2005 10 22 Gaza s ancient history uncovered BBC News Retrieved 2009 02 16 a b c d Filfil Rania Louton Barbara September 2008 The Other Face of Gaza The Gaza Continuum This Week in Palestine Archived from the original on 2009 02 07 Retrieved 2009 01 30 a b c d e f g h i Gaza Gaza al Azzah Studium Biblicum Franciscanum Jerusalem 2000 12 19 Archived from the original on 2012 07 28 Retrieved 2009 02 16 Michael G Hasel 1998 Domination and Resistance Egyptian Military Activity in the Southern Levant Ca 1300 1185 B C BRILL ISBN 90 04 10984 6 p 258 a b Ring and Salkin 1994 p 287 Patai 1999 p 149 Shatzman 1991 p 79 Patai 1999 p 142 Dowling 1913 p 33 a b Doughty Dick November 2006 Gaza Contested Crossroads This Week in Palestine Archived from the original on 2011 09 07 Retrieved 2009 01 30 a b c Remondino June 5 2007 Gaza at the crossroads of civilisations PDF Exhibition Gaza at the crossroads of civilisations 27 April to 7 October 2007 Art and History Museum Geneva Switzerland Retrieved 2008 01 23 Jennifer Lee Hevelone Harper 1997 Disciples of the Desert Monks Laity and Spiritual Authority in Sixth century Gaza JHU Press ISBN 0 8018 8110 2 pp 11 12 Hagith Sivan 2008 Palestine in late antiquity Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 928417 2 p 337 Andrea Sterk 2004 Renouncing the World Yet Leading the Church The Monk bishop in Late Antiquity Harvard University Press ISBN 0 674 01189 9 p 207 Gerald Butt 1995 Life at the crossroads a history of Gaza Rimal Publications ISBN 1 900269 03 1 p 70 Gaza from the Catholic Encyclopedia Kaegi W Byzantium and the early Islamic conquests p 95 a b c Pringle 1993 p 208 J S Tunison Dramatic Traditions of the Dark Ages Burt Franklin New York p 11 1 King David playing the lyre Archived from the original on 2017 05 17 Retrieved 28 April 2017 Kennedy 2007 p 88 a b Filiu 2014 pp 18 19 Filiu 2014 pp 23 a b c d e Ring and Salkin 1994 p 289 Gil 1992 p 292 a b Sharon 2009 pp 17 18 Dowling 1913 p 37 al Muqaddasi quoted in le Strange 1890 p 442 Gil 1992 p 349 Yaqut al Hamawi quoted in le Strange 1890 p 442 Sharon 1997 pp XII XIII Sharon 2009 p 26 Sharon 2009 p 87 Meyer 1907 p 83 a b c d e f g Ring and Salkin 1994 p 290 Ibn Battuta quoted in le Strange 1890 p 442 Elkan Nathan Adler 1987 1930 Jewish Travellers in the Middle Ages Dover pp 180 181 ISBN 9780486253978 Ze evi 1996 p 2 Doumani 1995 p 35 Ze evi 1996 p 40 Ze evi 1996 p 53 Dowling 1913 pp 70 71 Meyer 1907 p 98 Ze evi 1996 p 41 a b Robinson 1841 vol 2 pp 374 375 a b c Robinson 1841 vol 2 pp 377 378 Robinson 1841 vol 2 p 378 Robinson 1841 p 38 a b c d e f g h i j k l m Dumper and Abu Lughod 2007 p 155 Palestine Israel and the Arab Israeli Conflict A Primer Middle East Research Information Project Archived from the original on 2009 01 22 Retrieved 2009 01 19 Feldman 2008 pp 8 9 Roy Sara 4 October 2006 The Economy of Gaza Palestine Information Center Retrieved 2009 01 19 a b Gaza crisis key maps and timeline BBC News 2009 01 06 Retrieved 2009 06 16 Abbas sacks Hamas led government BBC News 2007 07 15 Retrieved 2009 01 19 Human rights coalition Gaza at worst since 1967 CNN 2008 03 06 Archived from the original on May 6 2008 Retrieved 2009 01 19 Sharp Heather 2009 01 05 Gaza conflict Who is a civilian BBC News Retrieved 2009 01 19 Lappin Yaakov March 26 2009 IDF releases Cast Lead casualty numbers The Jerusalem Post Retrieved 6 June 2012 Rocket salvo tests Gaza ceasefire BBC News 2009 01 16 Retrieved 2009 01 19 Najjar Nasser and Lynch Sarah Cease fire brings hope to weary residents of Gaza USA Today 2012 11 21 Occupied Palestinian territory Gaza Crisis United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 15 October 2014 Archived from the original on 25 July 2015 Rudoren Jodi 5 August 2014 Civilian or Not New Fight in Tallying the Dead From the Gaza Conflict The New York Times Retrieved 28 April 2017 Rockets target Tel Aviv after Gaza tower destroyed BBC News 2021 05 11 Retrieved 2021 05 12 IDF chief Israeli forces have Gaza city surrounded The Jerusalem Post 2 November 2023 Retrieved 12 November 2023 Over 50 of Gaza buildings damaged or destroyed in Israel s bombardment Axios 5 January 2024 The numbers that reveal the extent of the destruction in Gaza The Guardian 8 January 2024 Gaza MedCities 20 July 2021 Retrieved 1 October 2023 Distance from Gaza to Tel Aviv Archived 2011 06 11 at the Wayback Machine and Distance from Gaza to Jerusalem Archived 2011 06 11 at the Wayback Machine Time and Date AS Welcome to Rafah Palestine Remembered a b Satellite View of Gaza Palestine Remembered Retrieved 2009 01 19 a b Chilton 1999 p 77 Excerpt from report by Mohammad R Al Agha from the Islamic University of Gaza Lipchin 2007 p 109 Briggs 1918 p 258 IAF hits 200 targets in Gaza City terror nest The Times of Israel Retrieved 2023 10 11 Furqan Mosque Furqan Mosque Retrieved 2023 10 11 Pringle 1993 p 209 a b c d e Sheehan 2000 p 429 a b Sharon 2009 p 31 El Haddad Laila December 2006 Hammat al Sammara Hammam es Samara Sammara Public Baths This Week in Palestine Archived from the original on 2011 09 07 Retrieved 2009 02 16 a b c Gaza Strip Communities and Neighborhoods Map PDF Map 2009 ed United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Archived from the original PDF on 2009 02 19 a b Sharon 2009 p 30 a b c Butt 1995 p 9 a b Travel in Gaza MidEastTravelling Archived from the original on August 23 2013 Retrieved 2009 02 16 a b c Husseini and Barnea 2002 p 136 Bitton Ashkelony 2004 p 75 Tel Al Hawa The invasion and then after Ma an News Agency 2009 01 17 Archived from the original on 2013 08 22 Retrieved 2009 02 16 Sansur Dr Ramzi M 21 April 1995 Environment and development in the WB and Gaza Strip UNCTAD study Report United Nations Retrieved 1 October 2023 Monthly Averages for Gaza Gaza Strip MSN Weather Archived from the original on 2009 02 10 Retrieved 2009 01 15 Appendix I Meteorological Data PDF Springer Archived from the original PDF on March 4 2016 Retrieved October 25 2015 a b Hutteroth and Abdulfattah 1977 p 52 a b c d Meyer 1907 p 108 a b IIPA 1966 p 44 a b Barron 1923 p 6 Census of Palestine 1931 Population of villages towns and administrative areas 1931 Census of Palestine British Mandate survey in 1931 Retrieved 2014 11 12 a b c Government of Palestine Department of Statistics Village Statistics April 1945 Quoted in Hadawi 1970 p 45 Department of Statistics 1945 p 31 permanent dead link Census by Israel Central Bureau of Statistics a b Gaza Governorate Palestinian Population by Locality Subspace and Age Groups in Years Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics PCBS 1997 Archived from the original on 2012 01 30 Retrieved 2009 01 19 Cohen and Lewis 1978 Mills E 1931 Census of Palestine 1931 Jerusalem Greek Convent amp Goldberg Presses p 3 Village Statistics PDF 1938 p 63 Palestinian Population by Locality and Refugee Status Archived 2008 01 07 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics PCBS FAQ Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics PCBS Archived from the original on 2013 10 20 Retrieved 2013 10 20 Gaza has a population of 449 221 2009 census and an area of 45 square kilometres 17 sq mi Municipality of Gaza Archived 2010 05 28 at the Wayback Machine in Arabic This gives a population density of 9 982 69 km 26 424 76 mi Five militants die in Gaza strike BBC News 2008 02 27 Retrieved 2009 01 19 Militants bomb Gaza YMCA library BBC News 2008 02 15 Retrieved 2009 01 19 Omer Mohammed 2008 02 09 Gaza s Christian community serenity solidarity and soulfulness Institute for Middle East Understanding Archived from the original on 2009 01 22 Retrieved 2009 01 19 Gaza Jewish Encyclopedia A Brief History of the Gaza Settlements Jewish Virtual Library Archived from the original on October 16 2007 Retrieved 2009 02 16 The Disengagement Plan General Outline Retrieved 28 April 2017 As the Israeli blockade eases Gaza goes shopping Archived 2011 08 10 at the Wayback Machine Donald Macintyre 26 July 2010 The Independent 1st Gaza mall attracts thousands Despite siege new shopping center in Strip opened its doors last Saturday to enthusiastic crowds offering international brands much needed air conditioning Mall s manager promises affordable prices tailored for local residents Ali Waked 07 20 10 Ynet Gaza Strip New York Times 28 August 2012 Retrieved 2012 10 18 a b Palestinians Lure Banks with First Sukuk Bills Islamic Finance BusinessWeek Archived from the original on 2010 12 12 Retrieved 2010 12 08 Jacobs 1994 p 454 Rashad Shawa Cultural Center Gaza Municipality Rashad Shawa Cultural Center Archived 2009 08 02 at the Wayback Machine Archnet Digital Library Abdel Shafi Sami Promoting culture and hope in Gaza Institute for Middle East Understanding republishing of This Week in Palestine Archived August 24 2013 at the Wayback Machine Thomas Amelia September 2006 Arts and Crafts Village This Week in Palestine Archived from the original on 2011 07 20 Retrieved 2009 02 16 Edwards Bob 2004 02 14 Analasis New Cinema Opening up in Gaza City NPR Retrieved 2009 02 16 Thomas Amelia 2005 01 22 Theater thrives in Gaza despite restrictions The Christian Science Monitor Retrieved 2009 02 16 Bronner Ethan Museum Offers Gray Gaza a View of Its Dazzling Past New York Times 2008 07 25 a b c El Haddad Laila The Foods of Gaza Archived 2011 07 24 at the Wayback Machine This Week in Palestine June 2006 Farsakh Mai M The rich flavors of Palestine Archived 2009 04 16 at the Wayback Machine Institute for Middle East Understanding 2006 06 11 Albala Ken 1 January 2011 Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia ABC CLIO ISBN 9780313376269 Retrieved 28 April 2017 via Google Books Israel s Gaza Blockade Baffles Both Sides CBS News 28 May 2010 Archived from the original on 11 May 2013 Retrieved 10 August 2010 Gaza deaf restaurant a chance to change perceptions Reuters 18 October 2012 Retrieved 28 April 2017 Jacobs 1994 p 456 Palestine costume before 1948 by region Palestine Costume Archive Archived from the original on September 13 2002 Retrieved 2008 08 01 Rema Hammami Women the Hijab and the Intifada in Middle East Report No 164 165 May Aug 1990 JSTOR 3012687 Palestina 2005 06 Rec Sport Soccer Statistics Foundation Gaza Governorate Home Page Archived 2005 03 09 at the Wayback Machine Governorate of Gaza Official Website Former Presidents of the Municipality of Gaza Municipality of Gaza Said al Shawa 1906 permanent dead link Gaza Municipality Tessler M 1994 Ch 3 The Conflict Takes Shape A History of the Israeli Palestinian Conflict Indiana University Press ISBN 0253208734 Anderson John Hamas Dominates Local Vote in Gaza Washington Post 2005 01 29 How Hamas took over the Gaza Strip BBC News New Gaza City mayor to start job Sunday Archived 2014 04 08 at the Wayback Machine Maan News Agency 2014 04 09 Palestinian Population 10 Years and Over by Locality Sex and Educational Attainment Archived 2008 11 19 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics PCBS Statistics About General Education in Palestine PDF Education Minister of the Palestinian National Authority Archived from the original PDF on May 29 2008 Retrieved 2008 04 24 Facts About IUG Archived 2012 04 01 at the Wayback Machine Islamic University of Gaza Official Website Gaza Educational Region Archived 2009 07 03 at the Wayback Machine Al Quds Open University The municipal public library Gaza Municipality permanent dead link Jacobs 1998 p 451 Porter and Murray 1868 p 250 Sayyed Hashem Mosque Archived 2008 12 24 at the Wayback Machine Web Gaza Jacobs 1998 p 455 Gaza War Cemetery at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Occupied Housing Units by Locality and Connection to Water Network Archived 2008 11 19 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics PCBS Occupied Housing Units by Locality and Connection to Sewage System in Housing Unit Archived 2008 11 19 at the Wayback Machine Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics PCBS The outcome of the unjust embargo on the work of the municipal Gaza Municipality Lipchin Clive Pallant Eric Saranga Danielle Amster Allyson 2007 Integrated Water Resources Management and Security in the Middle East Springer Science amp Business Media p 109 ISBN 978 1 4020 5986 5 Published March 09 2002 2002 03 09 Enron Sought To Raise Cash Two Years Ago Page 2 New York Times The New York Times Retrieved 2013 03 26 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Gaza Power Plant Gisha org 2010 02 03 Archived from the original on 2013 05 11 Retrieved 2013 03 26 AFP Cut Gaza power supply to boost Israel grid minister 2012 05 13 Retrieved 2013 03 26 Salemdeeb Ramy 2013 Gaza s Challenge CIWM Gaza s Challenge CIWM journal 2013 04 25 Retrieved 2015 04 18 Gaza Toil amp Rubble CIWM journal 2014 12 16 Retrieved 2015 04 18 Lack of access to clean drinking water is a death sentence for the people of Gaza ReliefWeb 15 January 2024 Husseini and Barnea 2002 p 135 Al Shifa Hospital and Israel s Gaza Siege Defence For Children International Palestine Section 2006 07 16 Archived from the original on 2009 10 21 Retrieved 2009 02 16 a b Al Ahli Arab Hospital Bible Lands Archived from the original on 2007 02 02 CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY ARCHIVE Section IX Middle East Missions Archived from the original on 2020 06 04 Retrieved 2020 06 04 Husseini and Barnea 2002 p 34 Frenkel Sheera 2009 01 15 UN headquarters in Gaza hit by Israeli white phosphorus shells Times Online London Retrieved 2009 05 24 Secret medical service Haaretz Sheehan 2000 p 428 a b About Gaza City Gaza Municipality Archived June 20 2008 at the Wayback Machine Gazans rip apart airport tarmac Retrieved 28 April 2017 Tel Aviv Decides to Retain Contract With Gaza City as Twin City Haaretz 10 February 2008 Retrieved 28 April 2017 La Communaute Urbaine de Dunkerque a signe des accords de cooperation avec Hotel de ville de Dunkerque Place Charles Valentin 59140 Dunkerque Archived from the original on November 9 2007 Retrieved 2008 01 28 Pessotto Lorenzo International Affairs Twinnings and Agreements International Affairs Service in cooperation with Servizio Telematico Pubblico City of Torino Archived from the original on 2013 06 18 Retrieved 2013 08 06 خبرگزاری جمهوری اسلامی irna ir Archived from the original on 2013 03 26 Retrieved 2013 03 26 Vennskapsbyer Tromso kommune Postmottak Radhuset 9299 Tromso Archived from the original on 2007 10 27 Retrieved 2008 01 28 Cidades Geminadas Camara Municipal de Cascais Archived from the original on 2007 11 11 Retrieved 2008 01 28 Barcelona internacional Ciutats agermanades in Spanish Ajuntament de Barcelona Archived from the original on February 16 2009 Retrieved 2009 07 13 Caceres prepara su hermanamiento con la palestina Gaza in Spanish c 2010 El Periodico de Extremadura Archived from the original on 2010 09 12 Retrieved 2010 09 01 BibliographyAbu Lughod J Dumper Michael 2007 Cities of the Middle East and North Africa A Historical Encyclopedia ABC CLIO ISBN 978 1 57607 919 5 Barron J B ed 1923 Palestine Report and General Abstracts of the Census of 1922 Government of Palestine Bitton Askeloni Bruria Kofsky Arieh 2004 Christian Gaza In Late Antiquity BRILL ISBN 978 90 04 13868 1 Butt Gerald 1995 Life at the crossroads a history of Gaza Rimal Publications ISBN 1 900269 03 1 Chilton John Hydrogeologists International Association of 1999 Groundwater in the Urban Environment Proceedings of the XXVII IAH Congress on Groundwater in the Urban Environment Nottingham UK 21 27 September 1997 Taylor and Francis ISBN 978 90 5410 924 2 Cohen Amnon Lewis B 1978 Population and Revenue in the Towns of Palestine in the Sixteenth Century Princeton University Press a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Department of Statistics 1945 Village Statistics April 1945 Government of Palestine Doumani B 1995 Rediscovering Palestine Merchants and Peasants in Jabal Nablus 1700 1900 University of California Press ISBN 0 520 20370 4 Dowling T E 1913 Gaza A City of Many Battles from the family of Noah to the Present Day S P C K a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Dumper Michael Stanley Bruce E Abu Lughod J 2007 Cities of the Middle East and North Africa A Historical Encyclopedia ABC CLIO ISBN 978 1 57607 919 5 Feldman Ilana 2008 Governing Gaza Bureaucracy Authority and the Work of Rule 1917 1967 Duke University Press ISBN 978 0 8223 4240 3 Filiu J P 2014 Gaza A History Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 020189 0 Gil Moshe 1997 1983 A History of Palestine 634 1099 Translated by Ethel Broido Cambridge Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 59984 9 Hadawi S 1970 Village Statistics of 1945 A Classification of Land and Area ownership in Palestine Palestine Liberation Organization Research Center Husseini Rafiq Barnea Tamara 2002 Separate and Cooperate Cooperate and Separate The Disengagement of the Palestine Health Care System from Israel and Its Emergence as an Independent System Greenwood Publishing Group ISBN 0 275 97583 5 Hutteroth Wolf Dieter Abdulfattah Kamal 1977 Historical Geography of Palestine Transjordan and Southern Syria in the Late 16th Century Erlanger Geographische Arbeiten Sonderband 5 Erlangen Germany Vorstand der Frankischen Geographischen Gesellschaft ISBN 3 920405 41 2 be Yisraʼel Makhon le minhal tsiburi 1966 Public Administration in Israel and Abroad Israel Institute of Public Administration a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Jacobs Daniel Eber Shirley Silvani Francesca 1998 Israel and the Palestinian territories Rough Guides ISBN 978 1 85828 248 0 Kennedy Hugh 2007 The Great Arab Conquests How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live In Philadelphia Da Capo Press ISBN 978 0 306 81585 0 Le Strange G 1890 Palestine Under the Moslems A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A D 650 to 1500 Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund Lipchin Clive Pallant Eric Saranga Danielle 2007 Integrated Water Resources Management and Security in the Middle East Springer ISBN 978 1 4020 5984 1 Meyer Martin Abraham 1907 History of the city of Gaza from the earliest times to the present day Columbia University Press Patai R 1999 The Children of Noah Jewish Seafaring in Ancient Times 3rd illustrated ed Princeton University Press ISBN 978 0 691 00968 1 Pringle D 1993 The Churches of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem Volume I A K excluding Acre and Jerusalem Cambridge University Press ISBN 0 521 39036 2 Ring Trudy Salkin Robert M Schellinger Paul E 1994 International Dictionary of Historic Places Taylor amp Francis ISBN 978 1 884964 03 9 Robinson E Smith E 1841 Biblical Researches in Palestine Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea A Journal of Travels in the year 1838 Vol 2 Boston Crocker amp Brewster Sabbagh K 2008 Palestine History of a Lost Nation Grove Press ISBN 978 1 900949 48 4 Shahin Mariam 2005 Palestine A Guide Interlink Books ISBN 1 56656 557 X Sharon M 2009 Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum Palaestinae G Vol 4 BRILL ISBN 978 90 04 17085 8 Shatzman I 1991 The armies of the Hasmonaeans and Herod from Hellenistic to Roman frameworks Mohr Siebeck ISBN 978 3 16 145617 6 Sheehan Sean 2000 Israel Handbook With the Palestinian Authority Areas Footprint Travel Guides ISBN 978 1 900949 48 4 Ze evi Dror 1996 An Ottoman Century The District of Jerusalem in the 1600s SUNY Press ISBN 0 7914 2915 6 External links nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gaza City Municipality of Gaza Archived 2013 12 19 at the Wayback Machine Gaza at Google Maps The achievements of the municipal council for a period of 5 years 2008 2013 in Arabic Archived 2014 08 19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gaza City amp oldid 1196785248, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.