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Gaza
غَزَّة
Flag of the Gaza Strip
Location of Gaza within Palestine
Location of Gaza within Palestine
Status
Capital
and largest city
Gaza City
31°30′53″N 34°27′15″E / 31.51472°N 34.45417°E / 31.51472; 34.45417
Official languagesArabic
Ethnic groups
Palestinian
Religion
Demonym(s)Palestinian
Government State of Palestine
Area
• Total
365 km2 (141 sq mi)
Population
• 2022 estimate
2,375,259[2]
• Density
6,507/km2 (16,853.1/sq mi)
CurrencyIsraeli new shekel
Egyptian pound[3]
Calling code+970
ISO 3166 codePS
  1. ↑ The State of Palestine is recognized by 147 members of the United Nations as well as the Holy See.
State of Palestine Gaza
Emblem of Palestine Governance of Gaza


Gaza (also called the Gaza Strip) is a polity along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of two territories that make up the State of Palestine. (The other is the West Bank).

Gaza City is its main city. The Palestinian National Authority governed Gaza until 2006, and before 2007, Harakat At-Tahriri Al-Filistiniya administered the territory. The Islamic group Hamas won by a big majority in elections held in 2006.[4] From 2006 to present, Hamas governs Gaza.

Geography

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Size

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Gaza is a small area:

According to one article:[5]

The whole of Gaza (aka the Gaza Strip) is about twice the size of Washington, D.C. and three times the population. [...] The Gaza Strip is geographically about the size of Philadelphia, Detroit or the country of Grenada. The Gaza Strip has the same land area as Las Vegas but more than three times the population. There are approximately 2.23 million residents of the small territory.

Features

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Three mountain ridges run alongside Gaza's coastline. These ridges are very important to Gaza's topography.

Gaza's major river is Wadi Gaza. The Wadi Gaza Nature Reserve was established to protect the country's only coastal wetland.

Gaza's major cities include:

Al Deira beach is popular for surfers.[6]

Climate

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Gaza has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh). Summers are hot and dry. Winters are warm, and the country gets almost all of its rain during this season. Despite the dryness, humidity is high throughout the year.

Annual rainfall is higher than in any part of Egypt: between 225 mm (9 in) in the south and 400 mm (16 in) in the north. However, almost all of this rain falls between November and February.

The country has various environmental problems, including soil degradation and salination of fresh water.

History

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The costal enclave of Gaza has been inhabited for thousands of years.[7] Throughout history, it was fought over by many peoples, including Egyptian Pharaohs, Babylonians, Philistines, and Alexander the Great.[8]

However, the Ottoman Empire controlled the area from the 16th century through the end of World War I. At that point, the Ottoman Empire was broken up. After this, the British took control of the area known as Palestine, including the Gaza Strip. At that time, a number of ethnic groups lived there, including Arabs, Jews, and others.[9]

The British had offered to let Egypt govern Gaza, but Egypt refused, so Britain itself occupied the territory from 1917–1918. (Previously, in 1906, the Ottomans and the British Empire had set Gaza's international border with Egypt.)

The British also occupied Gaza from 1920 until 1948. During this time, tensions deepened between Arab and Jewish communities in Palestine.[10] Jewish leaders who lived in Rafah in the Gaza Strip were forced into detention camps.[11] Then, in 1948, the League of Nations ordered a "Mandatory Palestine".

1948–1959

During the 1948 conflict (particularly the 1948 War), many Arabs and Jews fled their homes throughout the region.[8] The greatest concentration of Palestinians ended up in Gaza.[8] Tens of thousands of Palestinians settled in Gaza after fleeing their homes or being forced to leave.[7] By the end of the war, 25% of Mandatory Palestine's Arab population was in Gaza, though the area constituted only 1% of the land.[source?] The same year, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was established to administer various refugee programmes.[source?]

After 1948, Egypt ruled the Gaza strip under military rule.[7]

1967

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Israel captured Gaza during the Six Day War.[12]

Palestinians in an outdoor market in Gaza, 1956

Demographics

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Children in Gaza City lining up for class, 2009

In 2010, approximately 1.6 million people lived in Gaza.[13] Almost a million of them were UN-registered refugees.[14] The majority have parents who were refugees following the the first major war between Israel and the Arab nations around it, in 1948.[15] Gaza's population has increased since then.

Many people living in Gaza are children. Almost half (43.5%) of the population is 14 or younger. In 2014, the median age was 18.[source?]

Sunni Muslims make up 99.8% of Gaza's population. Christians make up the other 0.2%; there are between 2,000 and 3,000 of them in Gaza.[16] For many centuries, Jews also lived in Gaza, including during the Hasmonean Era (167-63 BCE) and the Geonic Period (600-1050 CE), and also during Ottoman rule and the 20th century.[17]

Blockade of the Gaza Strip

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History of the Blockade

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1967-1996
[change | change source]

In June 1967, during the six day war, Israeli forces took control over Gaza strip. Since then, Gaza has been under military rule including the Palestinians. Israeli settlers in Gaza were protected by Israeli civilian law[18]. In 1987, after the first Intifada, Israel made its control over Gaza stricter. By 1994, Israel had built fences, walls and military zones around Gaza. Strict rules who could enter and leave were enforced[19]

In 1993, the first agreement of the oslo accords were signed between Palestine Liberation Organization(PLO). In agreement, both sides would recognize each other. According to the agreement, Palestinians would have the right to make their own decisions[20]. However, most Palestinians wanted to end the occupation and create an independent state[21]. Disagreements grew. Hamas and Islamic Jihad wanted to cancel the Oslo accord[22]. The Palestinian Authority(PA) had a confrontation with Hamas in 1994, causing more of a divide between the Palestinians. Even fearing a civil war between Fatah and Islamic groups[23].

In 1994, as part of the Oslo accord, Israel gave the Palestinian Authority some control over parts of the Gaza strip. However Israel still controlled other areas[24].

In Januari 1996, Hamas and Jihad called on their supporters not to vote in the 1996 Palestinian elections, because taking part would seem like they accepted the Oslo Accords and that Israel had the right to the existence to exist[25].

2000-2008

During the Second Intifada in 2000, Israel began to place more restrictions on the gaza strip, limiting the movement of people and goods in and out Gaza[26]. In October 200, Israel started frequently using airstrikes in Gaza[27].

In 2005, Israel said it was "disengaging"[28] from Gaza by removing its soldiers and settlers. It was thought, it would mean gaza was free. However, Israel still controlled Gaza's border, sea, and air[29]. As well as the right to defend itself[30].

in 2006, Hamas won the election of the Palestinian Legislative Council election, resulting in taking more control over Gaza by creating its own security force[31]. This led to clashing with Fatah supporters in the Gaza strip[32].

In June 2007, after clashing with Fatah, Hamas took full control over Gaza by force[33]. After that, Israel and Egypt began a full blockade of Gaza[34]. The full blockade resulted in closed borders, limited what goods could go in and out, and restriction of the movement of people[35].

In 2008, Operation Cast lead resulted in a lot of damage to Gaza's infrastructure, it was hard to rebuild because of the limitations of the blockade[36].

2009-2014

In January 2009, Israel began a naval blockade of Gaza[37]. The goal was to stop weapons and materials from reaching Hamas. However, it further limited what could enter or leave Gaza[38]. It was seen as causing too much harm to civilians, by making it harder to bring humanitarian aid[39].

In 2010, Israel slightly eased the blockade after international protests[40] which were caused by the Gaza flotilla raid. This allowed more goods to enter however it kept the naval blockade[41].

In 2014, during the 2014 war, the Gaza blockade caused serious problems[42]. There was almost no clean water and thousands of homes were destroyed[43]. Even though Israel would ease the blockade after international pressure by allowing more goods into Gaza, most restrictions stayed in place[44]. Israel controlled the food that could enter. Even after the war the blockade stayed in place[45].

2023 - present

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After the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel by Hamas, Israel declared a state of war.[46] Because of that, it increased its blockade of the Gaza strip on 9 October 2023. This included restrictions on the entry of goods, food, water, fuel, electricity, and medicine into Gaza.[47][48] Israel said it would not stop the blockade until all the Israeli hostages taken by Hamas were returned.[49] The UNRWA and others say the situation led to a serious humanitarian crisis.[50][51] Many accuse Israel of war crimes by using lack of food as a weapon of war.[52]

Timeline

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Key events of the Israeli Blockade October 2023 - 2025
Date Event References
9 October 2023 Israel intensifies the blockade of the Gaza Strip as a reaction to the 7 October attacks by Hamas. [53][54]
21 October 2023 After negotiations, first supplies enter Gaza through the Rafah Border Crossing again. [55]
January 2024 56% of planned aid deliveries into Northern Gaza and 25% into Middle Gaza are not allowed by Israel. [56]
February 2024 Israeli protestors block aid trucks from entering Gaza. [57][58]
January 2025 Following deals resulting in a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, trucks can enter Gaza again. [59][60]
2 March 2025 Israel completely blocks aid delivery into Gaza, de facto ending the ceasefire which started in January 2025. [61][62]
30 April 2025 The Israeli blockade reaches a time span of 60 days, making it the longest complete blockade of Gaza since October 2023. [63][64]
20 May 2025 After international pressure, Israel relieves a part of the complete blockade of Gaza. The accessibility of the deliveries has been reported to be difficult.[65] [66][67][65]

Consequences of the blockade

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The Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip has led to a humanitarian crisis, with a famine threatening the people of Gaza.[68]The IPC warned of severe cases of malnutrition, affecting 70,000 children in Gaza until March 2026. 14,000 cases of that are very urgent.[69]

In an Al-Jazeera interview, Ahmed al-Farra, director of paediatrics and obstetrics at al-Tahreer Maternity Hospital, speaks about long term health risks for the people in Gaza, threatening the development of a whole generation.[70]

Sports

[change | change source]

In 2010, Gaza inaugurated its first Olympic-size swimming pool at the As-Sadaka club. The opening ceremony was held by the Islamic Society. The swimming team of as-Sadaka holds several gold and silver medals from Palestinian swimming competitions.

[change | change source]

References

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  1. ↑ "Mideast accord: the overview; Rabin and Arafat sign accord ending Israel's 27-year hold on Jericho and the Gaza Strip" Archived 9 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Chris Hedges, New York Times, 5 May 1994.
  2. ↑ "مليونان و375 ألف نسمة عدد سكان قطاع غزة مع نهاية 2022". arabic.news.cn. Archived from the original on 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  3. ↑ Chami, Ralph; Espinoza, Raphael André; Montiel, Peter J. Macroeconomic policy in fragile states. Oxford: Oxford university press. ISBN 978-0-19-885309-1.
  4. ↑ "Hamas wins huge majority". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  5. ↑ "How Big is Gaza?". Anera. Retrieved 2024-10-01.
  6. ↑ Roug, Louise (23 August 2007). "In Gaza, surfers find peace and freedom riding the deep blue". Articles.latimes.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "A brief history of Gaza's centuries of war". Reuters. April 4, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Myre, Greg (2025-02-05). "A brief history of Gaza's tortured role in the Middle East conflict". NPR. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  9. ↑ "Israel and the Palestinians: History of the conflict explained". 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  10. ↑ "Israel and the Palestinians: History of the conflict explained". 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  11. ↑ "A historical Jewish rediscovery in Rafah amid modern conflict". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2024-06-02. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  12. ↑ Myre, Greg (2025-02-05). "A brief history of Gaza's tortured role in the Middle East conflict". NPR. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  13. ↑ "CIA — The World Factbook — Gaza Strip". CIA. 2014. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  14. ↑ "UNRWA: Palestine refugees". Un.org. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  15. ↑ Myre, Greg (2025-02-05). "A brief history of Gaza's tortured role in the Middle East conflict". NPR. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  16. ↑ Middle East Christians: Gaza pastor Archived 23 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine BBC News, 21 December 2005
  17. ↑ "A historical Jewish rediscovery in Rafah amid modern conflict". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2024-06-02. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  18. ↑ Smith, Ron (2019). "Israel's Permanent Siege of Gaza". Middle East Report (290): 38–42. ISSN 0899-2851.
  19. ↑ Smith, Ron (2019). "Israel's Permanent Siege of Gaza". Middle East Report (290): 38–42. ISSN 0899-2851.
  20. ↑ Abusada, Mkhaimar S. (1998). "Palestinian Party Affiliation and Political Attitudes Toward the Peace Process". Arab Studies Quarterly. 20 (3): 65–81. ISSN 0271-3519.
  21. ↑ Abusada, Mkhaimar S. (1998). "Palestinian Party Affiliation and Political Attitudes Toward the Peace Process". Arab Studies Quarterly. 20 (3): 65–81. ISSN 0271-3519.
  22. ↑ Abusada, Mkhaimar S. (1998). "Palestinian Party Affiliation and Political Attitudes Toward the Peace Process". Arab Studies Quarterly. 20 (3): 65–81. ISSN 0271-3519.
  23. ↑ Abusada, Mkhaimar S. (1998). "Palestinian Party Affiliation and Political Attitudes Toward the Peace Process". Arab Studies Quarterly. 20 (3): 65–81. ISSN 0271-3519.
  24. ↑ Abusada, Mkhaimar S. (1998). "Palestinian Party Affiliation and Political Attitudes Toward the Peace Process". Arab Studies Quarterly. 20 (3): 65–81. ISSN 0271-3519.
  25. ↑ Abusada, Mkhaimar S. (1998). "Palestinian Party Affiliation and Political Attitudes Toward the Peace Process". Arab Studies Quarterly. 20 (3): 65–81. ISSN 0271-3519.
  26. ↑ Phinney, Todd R. (2007). "The Second Palestinian Intifada": 43–64. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  27. ↑ Phinney, Todd R. (2007). "The Second Palestinian Intifada": 43–64. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  28. ↑ Strand, Trude (2014). "Tightening the Noose: The Institutionalized Impoverishment of Gaza, 2005–2010". Journal of Palestine Studies. 43 (2): 6–23. doi:10.1525/jps.2014.43.2.6. ISSN 0377-919X.
  29. ↑ Strand, Trude (2014). "Tightening the Noose: The Institutionalized Impoverishment of Gaza, 2005–2010". Journal of Palestine Studies. 43 (2): 6–23. doi:10.1525/jps.2014.43.2.6. ISSN 0377-919X.
  30. ↑ Strand, Trude (2014). "Tightening the Noose: The Institutionalized Impoverishment of Gaza, 2005–2010". Journal of Palestine Studies. 43 (2): 6–23. doi:10.1525/jps.2014.43.2.6. ISSN 0377-919X.
  31. ↑ "Remote Access - Leiden University Libraries". login.ezproxy.leidenuniv.nl. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  32. ↑ "Remote Access - Leiden University Libraries". login.ezproxy.leidenuniv.nl. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  33. ↑ "Remote Access - Leiden University Libraries". login.ezproxy.leidenuniv.nl. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  34. ↑ "Remote Access - Leiden University Libraries". login.ezproxy.leidenuniv.nl. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  35. ↑ "Remote Access - Leiden University Libraries". login.ezproxy.leidenuniv.nl. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  36. ↑ PoKempner, Dinah (2010). "Valuing the Goldstone Report". Global Governance. 16 (2): 144–159. ISSN 1075-2846.
  37. ↑ Buchan, Russell (2012). "The Palmer Report and the Legality of Israel's Naval Blockade of Gaza". The International and Comparative Law Quarterly. 61 (1): 264–273. ISSN 0020-5893.
  38. ↑ Buchan, Russell (2012). "The Palmer Report and the Legality of Israel's Naval Blockade of Gaza". The International and Comparative Law Quarterly. 61 (1): 264–273. ISSN 0020-5893.
  39. ↑ Buchan, Russell (2012). "The Palmer Report and the Legality of Israel's Naval Blockade of Gaza". The International and Comparative Law Quarterly. 61 (1): 264–273. ISSN 0020-5893.
  40. ↑ Farrant, James (2013). "The Gaza Flotilla Incident and the Modern Law of Blockade". Naval War College Review. 66 (3): 81–98. ISSN 0028-1484.
  41. ↑ Farrant, James (2013). "The Gaza Flotilla Incident and the Modern Law of Blockade". Naval War College Review. 66 (3): 81–98. ISSN 0028-1484.
  42. ↑ Filiu, Jean-Pierre (2014). "The Twelve Wars on Gaza". Journal of Palestine Studies. 44 (1): 52–60. doi:10.1525/jps.2014.44.1.52. ISSN 0377-919X.
  43. ↑ Filiu, Jean-Pierre (2014). "The Twelve Wars on Gaza". Journal of Palestine Studies. 44 (1): 52–60. doi:10.1525/jps.2014.44.1.52. ISSN 0377-919X.
  44. ↑ Filiu, Jean-Pierre (2014). "The Twelve Wars on Gaza". Journal of Palestine Studies. 44 (1): 52–60. doi:10.1525/jps.2014.44.1.52. ISSN 0377-919X.
  45. ↑ Filiu, Jean-Pierre (2014). "The Twelve Wars on Gaza". Journal of Palestine Studies. 44 (1): 52–60. doi:10.1525/jps.2014.44.1.52. ISSN 0377-919X.
  46. ↑ Yeung, Tara Subramaniam,Andrew Raine,Thom Poole,Joshua Berlinger,Maureen Chowdhury,Matt Meyer,Jessie (2023-10-08). "October 8, 2023 Israel-Hamas war news". CNN. Retrieved 2025-05-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  47. ↑ "Israel announces 'total' blockade on Gaza". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  48. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (9 October 2023). "Defense minister announces 'complete siege' of Gaza: No power, food or fuel". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  49. ↑ Amanda Macias, Ruxandra (2023-10-12). "Israel calls for evacuation of 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza; at least 27 Americans killed". CNBC. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  50. ↑ Harghandiwal, Beheshta (2025-12-31). "Impact of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza on children's health: Evidence and recommendations for mitigation". Global Public Health. 20 (1). doi:10.1080/17441692.2025.2495326. ISSN 1744-1692. PMID 40260702.
  51. ↑ "UNRWA Situation Report #171 on the Humanitarian Crisis in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem". UNRWA. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  52. ↑ unrwa (2025-05-14), "There is a collective responsibility from the international community" UNRWA Lazzarini tells BBC, retrieved 2025-05-22
  53. ↑ "Israel announces 'total' blockade on Gaza". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  54. ↑ Fabian, Emanuel (9 October 2023). "Defense minister announces 'complete siege' of Gaza: No power, food or fuel". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  55. ↑ "Rafah border crossing opens, allowing only 20 aid trucks into Gaza". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  56. ↑ "Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel | Flash Update #111". United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Occupied Palestinian Territory. 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  57. ↑ Kampeas, Ron. "Protesters blocking delivery of aid to Gaza plan march to Jerusalem". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  58. ↑ "Israeli protesters block aid convoys bound for Gaza". France 24. 2024-02-19. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  59. ↑ "Hunger in Gaza: First aid trucks roll in as ceasefire takes effect | World Food Programme". www.wfp.org. 2025-01-19. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  60. ↑ "Scaling up supplies and services for children in the Gaza Strip". www.unicef.org. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  61. ↑ Motamedi, Lyndal Rowlands,Nils Adler,Stephen Quillen,Maziar. "Updates: Israel blocks all aid into Gaza after first phase of truce ends". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-05-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  62. ↑ Associated Press (2025-03-03), Netanyahu says Israel has cut off Gaza aid 'because Hamas steals the supplies', retrieved 2025-05-22
  63. ↑ "Gazans face hunger crisis as aid blockade nears two months | UN News". news.un.org. 2025-04-28. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  64. ↑ "Israel's blockade of Gaza passes 60th day; US defends UNRWA ban at ICJ". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  65. ↑ 65.0 65.1 Channel 4 News (2025-05-21), UN says it still hasn't been able to distribute any aid in Gaza, retrieved 2025-05-22{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  66. ↑ "Ende der Gaza-Blockade: Netanjahu nennt internationalen Druck als Grund". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  67. ↑ "UN life-saving aid allowed to trickle into Gaza as needs mount | UN News". news.un.org. 2025-05-20. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  68. ↑ "People in Gaza starving, sick and dying as aid blockade continues". www.who.int. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  69. ↑ "Gaza Strip: Acute Malnutrition Situation for April 2025 - March 2026 | IPC - Integrated Food Security Phase Classification". www.ipcinfo.org. Retrieved 2025-05-22.
  70. ↑ Al Jazeera English (2025-05-21), Israel's aid blockade is causing generational damage: Gaza doctor, retrieved 2025-05-22
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