Gaza Strip

Ancient Gaza

Gaza has been continuously inhabited for over 3,500 years. It was a key Canaanite city and later an important Philistine settlement. Its strategic location on the Via Maris — the ancient trade route connecting Egypt to the Levant — made it a vital commercial hub for centuries. The city was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE after a five-month siege, and later became a center of Hellenistic and Roman trade. Under Byzantine rule, Gaza was known for its schools of rhetoric and philosophy. The city's name itself appears in the Amarna letters of the 14th century BCE, attesting to its ancient significance.

Islamic & Ottoman Eras

Gaza came under Islamic rule in 635 CE and was administered by successive Muslim dynasties — Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman. During the Mamluk period (1250–1516), Gaza flourished as a regional center, with the construction of the Great Mosque of Gaza (originally a Crusader church converted to a mosque), the Qasr al-Basha palace, and numerous public baths and markets. Under Ottoman rule (1517–1917), Gaza remained an important administrative center, although its economic significance gradually declined. The city was a crucial stop on the pilgrimage route to Mecca and hosted a diverse population of Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

British Mandate & NakbaThe "catastrophe" of 1948, when over 750,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled during the establishment of Israel.

During the British Mandate, Gaza's population grew significantly as trade and agriculture expanded. After the UN Partition Plan of 1947, Gaza became a focal point of the conflict. During the NakbaThe "catastrophe" of 1948, when over 750,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled during the establishment of Israel. of 1948, tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees from villages and towns across historic Palestine fled or were expelled into Gaza, overwhelming the city's resources. The 1948 Arab-Israeli war ended with the Gaza Strip under Egyptian military administration, separated from the West Bank and the rest of historic Palestine. The Gaza Strip's population tripled virtually overnight, creating a refugee crisis that persists to this day.

Israeli Occupation

Israel captured the Gaza Strip from Egypt in the Six-Day War of 1967, beginning a military occupation that continues to this day. The occupation brought Israeli settlements, military checkpoints, land appropriation, and the systematic suppression of Palestinian political life. The First IntifadaArabic for "shaking off" — Palestinian uprisings against Israeli occupation (1987 and 2000). (1987–1993) began in Gaza, sparked by a traffic accident that became a symbol of Palestinian resistance. The uprising transformed Palestinian society and led directly to the Oslo Accords. Despite the promises of Oslo, the occupation of Gaza intensified, and settlements expanded during this period.

Disengagement & Blockade

In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew its military forces and evacuated approximately 8,000 settlers from the Gaza Strip. However, Israel maintained complete control over Gaza's airspace, territorial waters, borders, population registry, and economy. Following the 2006 Palestinian elections won by Hamas, Israel and Egypt imposed a strict land, air, and sea blockade on Gaza in 2007, declaring it a 'hostile entity.' The blockade has been described by the UN, Amnesty International, and other human rights organizations as a form of collective punishment and has devastated Gaza's economy. The blockade remains in place today, restricting the movement of people and goods into and out of the strip.

Military Operations

Since the blockade began, Israel has launched repeated large-scale military operations against Gaza, including Operation Cast Lead (2008-09), Operation Pillar of Defense (2012), Operation Protective Edge (2014), and Operation Guardian of the Walls (2021). These operations have caused widespread destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, and have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, including thousands of children. International human rights organizations have documented potential war crimes in these attacks, including the targeting of civilian infrastructure and the use of prohibited weapons such as white phosphorus.

Genocidal Campaign

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, killing approximately 1,139 people and taking around 250 hostages. Israel responded with an unprecedented military campaign of genocidal proportions against Gaza. By 2026, over 100,000 Palestinians had been killed, including more than 20,000 children. The Israeli campaign has systematically destroyed Gaza's universities, hospitals, bakeries, water treatment plants, and residential neighborhoods. The International Court of Justice found it 'plausible' that Israel's actions constitute genocide, and the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity.