[130], Palestine Stadium, the Palestinian national stadium, is located in Gaza and has a capacity for 10,000 people. Accordingly, "Gaza" might be spelled "Gazza" in English. [34], Since occupying Gaza in the Six-Day War, Israel has controlled Gaza's borders and restricted the flow of goods and people into and out of Gaza. In 1967, the monument was torn down by Israeli forces and remained a patch of sand,[148] until a public garden was built there with funding from Norway. The Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel is located roughly 75 kilometers (47 mi) northeast of the city.[127]. [90], According to Ottoman tax records in 1557, Gaza had 2,477 male taxpayers. [120], The Gaza Theater, financed by contributions from Norway, opened in 2004. The rockets, fired by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, came as Jerusalem has […] The total number of Christian families was 57. Credit: Aljazeera. [23] However, by the 10th century CE the city had been rebuilt by a third Arab caliphate ruled by the Abbasids; Arab geographer al-Muqaddasi described Gaza as "a large town lying on the highroad to Egypt on the border of the desert. The Islamic University, consisting of ten facilities, was founded by Ahmed Yassin and a group of businessmen in 1978, making it the first institution of higher education in Gaza. In 1840 Egyptian and Ottoman troops battled outside of Gaza. Palestinian Christians take part in the Palm Sunday celebrations at St. Porphyrios in Gaza City, Gaza Strip on 24 April 2016. Palestine is the cradle of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. [106] 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 Gaza Aquifer is used as Gaza's main resource for obtaining quality water. Gaza remained under Egyptian control for 350 years until it was conquered by the Philistines in the 12th century BCE, becoming a part of their "pentapolis". [122], The Gaza Museum of Archaeology, founded by Jawdat N. Khoudary, opened in the summer of 2008. al-Turukman [61][65] Gaza has absorbed the village of al-Qubbah near the the border with Israel, as well as the Palestinian refugee camp of al-Shati along the coast,[50] although the latter is not under the city's municipal jurisdiction. [13], Throughout the Roman period, Gaza was a prosperous city and received grants and attention from several emperors. They contained thousands of Palestinians who fled what was now the new Jewish home, Israel. The current municipal council of Gaza, however, consists of fourteen members, including the mayor, Rafiq al-Makki. [119] About 87.6% were connected to a public sewage system and 11.8% used a cesspit. [93], Gaza's cuisine is characterized by its generous use of spices and chillies. Sheikh Radwan GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel unleashed new airstrikes on Gaza early Tuesday, hitting the high-rise home of a Hamas field commander and two border tunnels dug by … Incidents in the Gaza War include incidents involving attacks against civilians, a school, a mosque, and naval confrontations. Gaza City following an Israeli aerial attack–Photo: America. If Israel continues to attack, we will turn Ashkelon into hell," he said. [28] Starting in the early 1800s, Gaza was culturally dominated by neighboring Egypt; Muhammad Ali of Egypt conquered Gaza and most of Palestine in 1832. The municipality claims it is forced to pump water to the citizens though "salty wells" because of the unavailability of electricity in some of the wells fails to meet the needs of the citizens. Coffeehouses (qahwa) regularly accommodate locals with hookah (sheesha), Arabic coffee, and tea. [7], The Old City forms the main part of Gaza's nucleus. [59], Gaza is composed of eleven districts (hai) outside of the Old City. [7], In Judeo-Christian religions, Gaza was the place where, according to the Book of Judges, Samson was imprisoned and met his death. Cloth for the Gaza thob was often woven at nearby Majdal (Ascalon). [63] (See Israel's unilateral disengagement plan of 2004.) al-Shifa Hospital, Palestine Square al-Azhar University [85][88] 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,[75] although the latter is not under the city's municipal jurisdiction. Central Gaza is situated on a low-lying and round hill with an elevation of 45 feet (14 m) above sea level. Most sewage plants struggle to work, and more than 75% of the untended sewage in the city, has periodically led to a rash of waste water to the homes of residents. [76] Most of its water supply is diverted into Israel. They had already begun to make the new wine. 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. [21][27] In 1294, an earthquake devastated Gaza, and five years later the Mongols again destroyed all that had been restored by the Mamluks. 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. [47] Much of the modern city is built along the plain below the hill, especially to the north and east, forming Gaza's suburbs. The coolest month is January with temperatures usually peaking at 18 °C (64.4 °F). Roman Catholic Church of Gaza [16][17][18][19] Conversion to Christianity in Gaza was accelerated under Saint Porphyrius between 396 and 420. Jamal Abdel Nasser Street [141] The currently downtrodden economy has affected education in the Gaza Strip severely. 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. The Islamic militant group has promised an apology and said it would … Continued Gaza (/ˈɡɑːzə/;[4] Arabic: غَزَّة‎ Ġazzah, IPA: [ɣaz.zah]; Hebrew: .mw-parser-output .script-hebrew,.mw-parser-output .script-Hebr{font-family:"SBL Hebrew","SBL BibLit","Taamey Ashkenaz","Taamey Frank CLM","Frank Ruehl CLM","Ezra SIL","Ezra SIL SR","Keter Aram Tsova","Taamey David CLM","Keter YG","Shofar","David CLM","Hadasim CLM","Simple CLM","Nachlieli",Cardo,Alef,"Noto Serif Hebrew","Noto Sans Hebrew","David Libre",David,"Times New Roman",Gisha,Arial,FreeSerif,FreeSans}עַזָּה‎, Modern: Aza, Tiberian: ʿAzzā, Ancient: Ġazzā), also referred to as 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. [85], Many Gazans worked in the Israeli service industry when the border was open, but part of Israel's 2005 disengagement stipulated that Gazans will no longer be able to work in Israel and few Gazans are presently allowed to enter Israel. 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;[15] the inhabitants were either killed or taken captive. The Jews live at the top of the hill. However, it was rejected by the Palestinians. [19], 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. Palestinians parade a burning tire as they shout slogans in support of the Al-Aqsa Mosque during a rally in Gaza city on April 24, 2021, condemning overnight clashes in … Inhabited since at least the 15th century BCE,[5] Gaza has been dominated by several different peoples and empires throughout its history. Photo APA Images/SIPA. There are six hotels in Gaza: Palestine, Adam, al-Amal, al-Quds, Cliff, and Marna House. [15] American scholar Edward Robinson visited Gaza 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. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads. 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. [64] To the northeast is the district of Tuffah,[61] which is roughly divided into eastern and western halves. [21] In 767, Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi'i was born in Gaza and lived his early childhood there; al-Shafi'i founded a prominent Sunni Muslim legal philosophy (or fiqh) called Shafi'i, in his honor. The agriculture sector was hard hit, affecting nearly 40,000 workers dependent on cash crops. The Philistines made it a part of their pentapolis after the Ancient Egyptians had ruled it for nearly 350 years. Bandar Gaza rented several rooms throughout the city to set up government clinics, but they were fairly basic, just providing essential curative care. The West Bank and the Gaza Strip are often called the Occupied Territories, and most of the residents are Palestinian Arabs. [66] Along the southern coast of the city is the neighborhood of Sheikh Ijlin. Gaza is not a frequent destination for tourists, and most foreigners who stay in hotels are journalists, aid workers, UN and Red Cross personnel. [61], Gaza was occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War following the defeat of the Egyptian Army. [58] By the mid-19th century, Gaza's port was eclipsed by the ports of Jaffa and Haifa, but it retained its fishing fleet. Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Rashad Shawa Cultural Center They include Khidmat al-Shatia (al-Shati Camp), Ittihad al-Shuja'iyya (Shuja'iyya neighborhood), Gaza Sports Club, and al-Zeitoun (Zeitoun neighborhood).[100]. Palestine Stadium Thobs here had narrow, tight, straight sleeves. [156] Presently, Egypt is in talks to combine Gaza's energy grid with its own. It became a center of tension in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict when Hamas seized control of the area in 2007. Following the Oslo Accords, thousands of residents were employed in the various government ministries and security services, while others were employed by the UNRWA and other international organizations that support development of the city. [28] However, when Arab traveler and writer Ibn Batutta visited the city in 1355, he noted that it was "large and populous, and has many mosques. Sheikh Ijlin New neighborhoods were built along the coast and the southern and eastern plains. In 2005, the Gaza Theater Festival was held, playing in makeshift venues, although no foreign theater companies attended, as well as any company from the West Bank or Israel's Arab community. Most of Gaza's inhabitants adhere to Islam, although there exists a Christian minority. [94], Seafood is a key aspect of Gaza life and a local staple,[95] but in recent years, due to Israeli restrictions on Palestinian fishing zones off Gaza's coast, the industry has been in decline, and seafood prices have skyrocketed. [124] 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. Of the Christians there 294 household heads and 7 bachelors and there were 73 Jewish household heads 8 Samaritan household heads. "Women, the Hijab and the Intifada" in. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) — A confrontation between Israel and Hamas sparked by weeks of tensions in contested Jerusalem escalated Tuesday. Zeitoun, Great Mosque of Gaza (Jack Khoury) [58] Prior to the Blockade of the Gaza Strip, there existed regular lines of collective taxis to Ramallah and Hebron in the West Bank. [15], In the 12th century BCE Gaza became part of the Philistine "pentapolis".[15]. Qissariya Market [2] Gaza is 78 kilometres (48 mi) southwest of Jerusalem, 71 kilometres (44 mi) south of Tel Aviv,[73] and 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of Rafah. Other major flavors and ingredients include dill, chard, garlic, cumin, lentils, chickpeas, pomegranates, sour plums and tamarind. 23, 2021. [10] Josephus notes that Gaza was resettled under the rule of Antipas, who cultivated friendly relations with Gazans, Ascalonites and neighboring Arabs after being appointed governor of Idumea by Jannaeus. [54] Most of its water supply is diverted into Israel. ... was restored in 1320 by Gaza's Mamluk governor and was originally run by members of the ancient Samaritan religion. [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. Excerpt from report by Mohammad R. Al-Agha from the, Rema Hammami. 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. In June 2005, there were 3,900 factories in Gaza employing 35,000 people, but by December 2007, there were just 195 remaining, employing only 1,700 people. [17] The PNA, led by Yasser Arafat, chose Gaza as its first provincial headquarters. As of 2016, the state of Palestine had a population of 4,816,503 ranking as the 123rd with the highest population in the world. The Ottomans won control of the territory, effectively ending Egyptian rule over Palestine. A variety of wares are sold in Gaza's street bazaars, including carpets, pottery, wicker furniture, and cotton clothing; commercial development in the city is minimal. 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%. [106] The majority live in the Zaytun Quarter of the Old City and belong to the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Baptist denominations. 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