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Palestine Atlas

Gaza City

Basic Information

Type
City
Governorate
Gaza
Region
Gaza Strip

Overview

Gaza City is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with a history spanning over 5,000 years. First mentioned in Egyptian records of Thutmose III in the 15th century BCE, it became a major Philistine city, part of their pentapolis. The city flourished under Roman rule with its Mediterranean port, was conquered by Muslim forces in 635 CE, and became an important Islamic law center. Under the Ottoman Ridwan dynasty (17th century), Gaza experienced a golden age of commerce and scholarship. From 2007 until October 2023, the city was the epicenter of a 16-year Israeli-Egyptian blockade that controlled all borders, airspace, and maritime access — transforming the Gaza Strip into what UN officials and human rights organizations described as an 'open-air prison' for its 2.3 million residents. The blockade restricted fishing to 6 nautical miles (sometimes 3), limited agricultural exports, controlled calorie intake through documented Israeli policies, and created conditions of manufactured dependency. The 2023-2026 war brought total destruction to the city: 85%+ of the population was displaced, entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble, and Gaza's largest medical facility, Al-Shifa Hospital, was destroyed. This was not a 'conflict between two sides' but an asymmetric siege and bombardment of a densely populated, blockaded territory with no army, no air force, and no functional escape routes.

Historical Significance

Ancient Philistine pentapolis city; major spice route terminus; first city in Palestine conquered by Muslims (635 CE); historic Ottoman center under Ridwan dynasty; cultural capital of Palestine; epicenter of 16-year blockade and catastrophic 2023-2026 destruction

Sources and record limitations

Source detail varies by record. Some entries include document and page references; others supply source names only. Check the cited material and the record's limitations before relying on a specific claim.

  • PCBS 2017 Census
  • UNRWA Gaza Situation Reports
  • UN OCHA Gaza Strip Reports
  • B'Tselem - Gaza Blockade and Military Operations
  • Human Rights Watch - Gaza War Crimes Investigations
  • Amnesty International - Gaza Under Siege
  • ARIJ - Agricultural and Geographic Reports on Gaza
  • Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture (Gaza)
  • UN OCHA OPT - Protection of Civilians Reports
  • Gisha - Legal Center for Freedom of Movement (Israel)
  • Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Gaza)
  • Wikipedia
  • Britannica

Gaza City was the largest and most important city in Gaza Strip before the 2023-2026 war. The 16-year blockade (2007-2023) and subsequent catastrophic war have rendered pre-war population and infrastructure figures obsolete. The city has been subjected to systematic destruction unprecedented in modern Palestinian history.