Gaza
Skyline of Gaza
Coat of arms of Gaza
Arabic	غزة
Founded in	15th Century BCE
Government	City (from 1993)
Also Spelled	Ghazzah (officially) Gaza City (unofficially)
Governorate	Gaza
Coordinates	31°31′N 34°27′E / 31.517, 34.45Coordinates: 31°31′N 34°27′E / 31.517, 34.45
Population	409,680 (2006)
Jurisdiction	151,023 dunams (151. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language The following is a list of cities in Palestinian National Authority administrated areas, although depending on which particular area each locality is located After the signing of the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian territories were divided into three areas (Area A Area B and Area C and 16 Governorates under the jurisdiction The Gaza Governorate ( محافظة غزة) is one of 16 Governorates of the Palestinian National Authority located in the north central Gaza Strip which A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A dunam or dönüm, dunum, donum is a unit of Area used in the Ottoman Empire and still used in various standardized versions 0 km²)
Head of Municipality	Majid Abu Ramadan

Gaza (Arabic: غزة‎ transliteration: Ġazzah) is the largest city in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Different approaches and methods for the Romanization of Arabic exist The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west Name There are differences of opinion as to what the Palestinian territories should be called The city, which has a population of approximately 410,000 in the inner city and 1. 4 million people in the metropolitan area, has been inhabited since 3000BC. ^[1] The city is frequently termed "Gaza City" in order to distinguish it from the larger Gaza Strip. The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west

Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2.1 Antiquity 2.2 Islamic rule 2.3 Ottoman rule 2.4 Twentieth century 2.5 Palestinian National Authority 3 Demographics 4 Economy 5 Landmarks and public buildings 6 Transportation 7 Mayors 8 Town twinning 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

Etymology

The name "Gaza" (pronounced Aza in Hebrew), may be derived from the Hebrew word "az," for strong. ^[2]

History

The history of Gaza, one of the oldest cities in the world, has been shaped by its strategic location. The city is located on the Mediterranean coastal route, between North Africa and the greener lands of the Levant. Via Maris is the modern name for an ancient Trade route, dating from the early Bronze Age, linking Egypt with the northern empires of Syria, See also Names of the Levant The Levant (lə'vænt is a geographical term that denotes a large area in Western Asia, roughly bounded on the north by the ^[3] Ancient Gaza was a prosperous trade center and a stop on the caravan route between Egypt and Syria. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية

Antiquity

In ancient times, Gaza was the residence of the Ancient Egyptian governor of the region, then known as Canaan. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now Canaanites redirects here For the 1940s social and political movement in Israel, see Canaanites (movement. In the 13th century BCE, it was conquered by the Philistines, an invading people with cultural links to the Aegean, from whom the name Palestine originated. The Philistines ( Hebrew פלשתים plishtim) (see "other uses" below were a people who inhabited the southern coast of Canaan, Etymology In ancient times there were various explanations for the name Aegean. Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. ^[4] Gaza was part of the Philistine pentapolis; a league of the Philistine's five most important city-states. A pentapolis, from the Greek words penta 'five' and Polis 'city(-state' is geographic and/or institutional grouping of five cities Gaza was the place where Samson was imprisoned and met his death. Samson, Shimshon ( Hebrew: שמשון, Standard Šimšon Tiberian Šimšôn; meaning (Judges 16:21) The prophets Amos and Zephaniah professed that Gaza would be deserted. A judge, or justice, is an Official who presides over a Court of law … Amos ( is one of the twelve Minor prophets in the Hebrew Bible, and putative author of the speeches reported in the Book of Amos. {For|the prophetic book|Book of Zephaniah} Zephaniah or Tzfanya ( is the name of several people in the Bible Old Testament and Jewish Tanakh ^[5][6][7]

Tell es-Sakan, dating to 3500 BCE, is five kilometers south of today's Gaza city. ^[8] Around 3000 BCE, the Canaanites developed various urban centres. Canaanites redirects here For the 1940s social and political movement in Israel, see Canaanites (movement. ^[1] Artifacts from Tell al-Ajjul, including pottery, alabaster and bronze works, are housed at the Rockefeller Museum in East Jerusalem. Tall al-Ajjul is an ancient site in southern Palestine, with remains dating back to as early as 2100 B The Rockefeller Museum, formerly the Palestine Archaeological Museum, is an archaeological Museum located in East Jerusalem that houses a large East Jerusalem refers to the part of Jerusalem captured by Jordan in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and subsequently by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. ^[9]

The city was invaded and captured by Thutmose III in 1484 BCE. Thutmose III (sometimes read as Thutmosis or Tuthmosis III and meaning Thoth is Born) was the sixth Pharaoh of the Eighteenth This was the start of the ruling of the ancient Egypt. This was also the time where the name Gaza was first mentioned. ^[1] Around 1200 BCE the Philistines started the settlement of the coastal area. ^[1]

Under the rule of the Neo-Assyrians, Gaza had to pay a tribute in 734 BCE. The Neo-Assyrian Empire was a period of Mesopotamian history which began in 934 BC and ended in 609 BC The Neo-Assyrians were followed by the Neo-Babylonian domination. The term Neo-Babylonian or Chaldean refers to Babylonia under the rule of the 11th ("Chaldean" dynasty from the revolt of Nabopolassar ^[1] The attack of Cambyses I was resisted in 529 BCE. Cambyses I Old Persian Kambūjiya 'the Elder' (c 600 BC&ndash559 BC was King of Anshan from c Later the Greeks established a trading post around 520 BCE. The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Some hundred years later the first coins were minted on the Athens model was around 380 BCE. The History of Athens is one of the longest of any city in Europe and in the world ^[1]

After the Siege of Tyre in 332 BCE, Alexander the Great besieged Gaza, the last city to resist his conquest. In 332 BC, Alexander the Great set out to conquer Tyre, a strategic coastal base in the war between the Greeks and the Persians. Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' Gaza, led by a eunuch named Batis and defended by Arab mercenaries, withstood the siege for two months, until it was overcome by storm. The defenders, most local elements, fought to death, and the women and children were taken captive. The city was resettled by neighboring Bedouins. The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (ar بدوي pl badū) are a desert-dwelling Arab Nomadic pastoralist, or previously ^[10]

Ptolemy started the rule in the year 301 BCE. The Ptolemaic dynasty (sometimes also known as the Lagids, from the name of Ptolemy I's father Lagus) was a Hellenistic Macedonian royal family The Seleucids dominated by the year 198 BCE. The Seleucid Empire /sə'lusɪd/ ( 312 - 63 BC) was a Hellenistic empire i ^[1] In 145 BCE Gaza was conquered by Jonathan Maccabaeus, the Hasmonean (Brother of Judah the Maccabee). Jonathan Maccabaeus was leader of the Hasmonean Dynasty of Judea from 161 to 143 BCE The Hasmoneans (/hæzməˡniən/ חשמונאים Hashmonaiym, Audio were the ruling dynasty of the Hasmonean Kingdom ( 140 &ndash 37 BCE Judas Maccabeus (or Judah Maccabee, also spelled Machabeus or Maccabaeus Hebrew: יהודה המכבי, Yehudah HaMakabi, Judah the Hammer The Maccabees ( Hebrew: מכבים or מקבים, Makabim or Maqabim; Greek Μακκαβαῖοι, /makav'εï/ were The new leaders under the rule of Alexander Jannaeus brought destruction and massacres around 96 BCE. Alexander Jannaeus (also known as Alexander Jannai/Yannai) king of Judea from (103 BCE to 76 BCE son of John Hyrcanus, inherited the throne from his The start of the Gaza era as dated by the Pompey's calendar. Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, commonly known as Pompey /'pɑmpi/ Pompey the Great or Pompey the Triumvir ( Classical Latin abbreviation As they were expelled and Judea was made a client kingdom of Rome by Pompey in 63 BCE, Gaza fell under the rule of Hyrcanus and later by Herod the Great around 30 BCE. Judea or Judæa ( Hebrew: יהודה Standard Yəhuda Tiberian Yəhûḏāh, "praised John Hyrcanus ( Yohanan Girhan) (reigned 134 BCE - 104 BCE died 104 BCE was a Hasmonean ( Maccabeean Leader of the 2nd century BC Herod (הוֹרְדוֹס Horodos, Greek: Herōdes) also known as Herod I or Herod the Great (73 BC – 4 BC in Jericho ^[1]

In 6 CE, it was placed under direct Roman rule. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC There was a prospering Jewish presence in Gaza until the Roman ruler Gavinius expelled them in 61 CE as part of the First Jewish-Roman War leading to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. Titus Flavius Vespasianus, commonly known as Titus ( December 30 39 &ndash September 13 81) was a Roman Emperor who Hadrian visited the city in the year 130 CE. Publius Aelius Hadrianus (January 24 76 &ndash July 10 138 as emperor Imperator Caesar Divi Traiani filius Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, and Divus Hadrianus after ^[1] Around 250 CE Christianity started to spread. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings ^[1]

In the times of the Mishnah and the Talmud there was a large Jewish community in Gaza. The Mishnah or Mishna (he משנה "repetition" from the verb shanah he שנה or "to study and review" is a major work of Rabbinic Judaism The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history The remains of the ancient Gaza synagogue, built around 500 CE, were found near the city wharf. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of ^[11] It was conquered by Muslims in the 630s after a siege during which the Jewish population of the city defended it alongside the Byzantine garrison. The Muslim conquest of Syria occurred in the first half of the 7th century and refers to the region known as the Bilad al-Sham, the Levant, or Greater Syria ^[12]

Islamic rule

Gaza was captured by ‘Amr ibn al-‘As a Muslim in 637 AD. ˤAmr ibn al-ˤĀs (عمرو بن العاص (born c583 - d January 6, 664 CE was an Arab Military commander who is most noted for leading ^[1] Believed to be the site where prophet Muhammad's great grandfather was buried, the city became an important Islamic center. IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics The arrival and domination of the Abbasids started with the end of the Umayyads around 750 CE. Gaza became a centre for the art of writing in the Islamic world. A caliphate (from the Arabic خلافة or khilāfa) is the political leadership of the Muslim community in classical and medieval Islamic history ^[1]

Around 909 CE, the influence of the Fatimids from Egypt started to grow. Leading to a slow decline of Gaza, although the important port of Maiouma was flourishing. The orange was introduced to the area arriving from India in 943 CE. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country ^[1]

The city was captured by Baldwin III of Jerusalem. Baldwin III of Jerusalem (1130 &ndash February 10, 1162) was king of Jerusalem from 1143&ndash1162 The control was handed over to the Knights Templar in the year 1149. The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici commonly known as the Knights Templar or the Order Saladin tried to regain control in its first raid in 1170 on Lower Gaza. Salahadin Ayyubi ( Arabic:صلاح الدين يوسف بن أيوب Kurdish: سه‌لاحه‌دین ئه‌یوبی Selah'edînê Eyubî; c Richard I of England recaptured the city from Saladin in 1191. Richard I (8 September 1157 &ndash 6 April 1199 was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death The end of the period marked the conquest of the city by the Mongol Hulagu Khan in 1260. This article is about the founder of the Ilkhanate For the head of the Chagatai khanate please see Qara Hülëgü Hulagu Khan, also known as ^[1] During this period, the Jewish community in Gaza was destroyed. The Jews, however, returned and their community was rebuilt with the return of the Mamluk occupation. ^[11]Famous Gazan Jews include the medieval liturgical poet Israel Najara, who is buried in Gaza's local cemetery, and the Sabbatean prophet Nathan of Gaza. Israel ben Moses Najara (c 1555 Damascus - c 1625 Gaza) ( Heb Sabbatai Zevi, ( (other spellings include Sabetay in Turkish, Shabbethai, Sabbetai, Shabbsai; Zvi; Sabbetai Nathan Benjamin ben Elisha ha-Levi Ghazzati or Nathan of Gaza (1643–1680 ( Hebrew: נתן עזתי was a theologian born in Jerusalem, who became Rabbi Abraham Azulai lived in Gaza in 1619, and it was there that he wrote his Kabbalistic work "Hesed le-Avraham". Abraham Azulai (c 1570 - 1643 ( Hebrew: אברהם בן מרדכי אזולאי) was a Kabbalistic author and commentator born at Fez. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. ^[13] Nearly two decades later, the domination of the Mameluks started in 1277. They finished the reconstruction of the Great Mosque of Gaza in 1340. ^[1]

Ottoman rule

Gaza was the capital of the Liwa of Gaza, which stretched from Jaffa in the north to Bayt Jibrin in the west to Rafah in the south. Jaffa يَافَا;(יָפוֹ Yafo; also Japho, Joppa) is an ancient Port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world Bayt Jibrin (بيت جبرين also Beit Jibrin) was a Palestinian Arab village located northwest of the city of Hebron. Rafah (رفح is a Palestinian town in the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian border and a nearby town on the Egyptian side of the border on the Sinai According to the 1557 tahrir defter the city included 2,477 male tax payers i. e. its population was about 12,000 people. These fugires exclude members of the military and religious classes. Detailed information on the cities demography and economy is provided by Cohen and Lewis Population and revenue in the towns of Palestine in the Sixteenth Century(1978).

In 1660, Gaza became the capital of Palestine, although "Palestine" did not exist as an administrative unit or vilayet during Ottoman rule of the region. Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. A wilāyah (ولاية or vilâyet (in Persian and Ottoman Turkish) is an administrative division usually The ruler at that time was Hussein Pasha. Gaza maintained close contacts with the Christian Europe. Napoleon captured the city in 1799 and this was followed by a domination of the Turks. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. In February 1799, when the French forces led by Napoleon entered the city, it was struck by a terrible plague which caused the Jews to move to other areas in Palestine. Plague is a deadly Infectious disease caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis (Pasteurella pestis. Starting in the early 1800s, Gaza was culturally dominated by neighboring Egypt; Muhammad Ali made Gaza a part of Egypt in 1832. This article is about the leader of Egypt For other people named Muhammad Ali or Mehmet Ali see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation and Mehemet Ali (disambiguation ^[1] Though Gaza was recaptured by the Ottoman Empire, a large number of its residents were Egyptians (and their descendants) who had fled political turmoil. ^[14] The Ottomans lost it to the British in the Third Battle of Gaza on November 7, 1917 during World War I. The Third Battle of Gaza was fought in 1917 in southern Palestine during World War I. Events 1492 - The Ensisheim Meteorite the oldest Meteorite with a known date of impact strikes the Earth around noon in a Wheat Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All

Twentieth century

After World War I, the League of Nations (precursor to the United Nations) granted quasi-colonial authority over former Ottoman territories to Great Britain and France. The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 Britain had the mandate over the areas that now comprise Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Jordan. ^[15]

Many Jewish inhabitants of Gaza left during and after the 1929 Palestine riots. In the summer of 1929 a long-running dispute between Muslims and Jews over access to the Western Wall in Jerusalem escalated and erupted into a series of From then on, the British prohibited Jews from living there. In 1946, however, a group of Jews established Kibbutz Kfar Darom in the central Gaza Strip, named for a Jewish town that had existed there in the Talmudic period. Kfar Darom (כפר דרום lit South Village) was a Kibbutz and Israeli settlement within the Gush Katif bloc in the Gaza Strip Though the Jewish community remained distinct, many still lived amongst the Christian and Muslim communities in neighborhoods such as Rimal. However, their numbers slowly dwindled as the tensions between Jews and Arabs increased throughout Palestine, causing mutual distrust. ^[11]

After the Israeli-Arab war in 1948, Egypt occupied Gaza and its surrounding area. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The city's growing population was augmented by an influx of Arab refugees fleeing Israel. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Israel captured the city and the Gaza Strip during the 1967 Six Day War, but withdrew completely in the wake of Ariel Sharon's Gaza disengagement plan in 2005. Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt (אריאל Israel's unilateral disengagement plan ( Hebrew: תוכנית ההתנתקות Tokhnit HaHitnatkut or תוכנית ההינתקות Tokhnit HaHinatkut in With the onset of the Palestinian uprising known as the First Intifada in 1987, Gaza became a center of political unrest and confrontation between Israelis and Palestinians, and economic conditions in the city worsened. The First Intifada (1987–1993 (also " Intifada " and "war of the stones" was a mass Palestinian uprising against Israeli Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Palestinian people or Palestinians ( الشعب الفلسطيني, ash-sha`b al-filasTīni; الفلسطينيون, al-filasTīnīyyūn

Palestinian National Authority

In September 1993, leaders of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) signed the Oslo Accords calling for Palestinian administration of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank town of Jericho, which was implemented in May 1994. The Palestine Liberation Organization ( PLO) (منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a political and paramilitary Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles The West Bank (الضفة الغربية, הגדה המערבית Hagadah Hamaaravit) also referred to in Israel as " Judea and Samaria Jericho ( Arabic, ʼArīḥā; Hebrew, Standard Yəriḥo Tiberian Yərîḫô The Israeli forces left Gaza, leaving a new Palestinian National Authority to administer and police the city, along with the most of the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Authority, led by Yasser Arafat, chose Gaza as its first provincial headquarters. Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini ( Arabic: محمد عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني (August 24 1929 – November 11 In September 1995, Israel and the PLO signed a second peace agreement extending the Palestinian Authority to most West Bank towns. Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip or Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement, or simply the Interim Agreement, also known as Oslo 2 (or The agreement also established an elected 88-member Palestinian National Council, which held its inaugural session in Gaza in March 1996. The Palestinian National Council (PNC is the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization and elects its Executive Committee which assumes leadership of the

On September 12, 2005 the Israeli cabinet formally declared an end to military rule. Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Israel also withdrew from the Philadelphi Route, a narrow strip adjacent to the border with Egypt, after Egypt agreed to secure its side of the border. The Philadelphi Route (corridor / buffer zone was an IDF code name for the strip of land along the border between Egypt and Israel. Under the Oslo Accords, the Philadelphi Route was to remain under Israeli control to prevent arms smuggling. Israeli-Palestinian conflict The Oslo Accords, officially called the Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements or Declaration of Principles With Egypt agreeing to patrol its side of the border, it was hoped that this objective would be achieved. ^[16] Hamas won a surprise victory in the Palestinian elections in early 2006. Since then, it has been engaged in a violent power struggle with Fatah. In 2007, Hamas violently overthrew Fatah forces in the Gaza Strip and its members were dismissed from the PNA government as a result. Currently, Hamas has de facto control of the area. ^[17] Israel has continued to bombard Gaza and nearby cities in response to Qassam rocket attacks launched by Islamic terrorist organizations, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, from civilian population centers in the Gaza Strip. The Qassam rocket ( صاروخ القسام; also Kassam) is a simple steel Rocket filled with explosives produced by Hamas. The European Union and the United Nations have called Israel's actions "disproportionate", but also demand that Palestinian militias halt rocket attacks. ^[18]

A human rights coalition charged March 6, 2008 that the humanitarian situation in Gaza had reached its worst point since Israel occupied the territory in the 1967 Six-Day War. Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt ^[19]

Demographics

The population of Gaza today is overwhelmingly Muslim, with a small minority of about 3,500 Christians, mostly adhering to the Greek Orthodox Church. The Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία Hellēnorthódoxē Ekklēsía) is formed by several autocephalous churches ^[20] 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 inhabitants, of which 50. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS (الجهاز المركزي للإحصاء الفلسطيني is the statistical organization and branch of the Interior Ministry Al-Shati camp, also known as Beach camp, is a Palestinian Refugee camp located in the northern Gaza Strip along the Mediterranean Sea 9% were males and 49. 1% females. Gaza has an overwhelmingly young population with over half of being between the age of infancy to 14 years (50. 3%) and 25. 7% were between the ages of 15 and 29. About 13. 6% were between the ages of 30 to 44, 7. 7% between ages 45 to 65 and 3. 9% were over the age of 64. ^[21]

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. In 1997, 51. 8% of Gaza's inhabitants were refugees or their descendants. ^[22] The city's population has continued to increase since that time to 409,680 in 2006, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories. Name There are differences of opinion as to what the Palestinian territories should be called ^[23] The birth rate is extremely high and the vast majority of Gazans live in poverty. ^[24] and rely on United Nations food aid to survive. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security ^[25]

Economy

Gaza is the economic center for a region in which citrus fruits and other crops are grown. Many Gazans worked in Israeli service and industry when the border was open. The city contains some small industry, including textiles and food processing. 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. Gaza serves as a transportation hub for the Gaza Strip, and contains a small port that serves a local fishing fleet. The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west Poverty, unemployment, and poor living conditions are widespread. Gaza has serious deficiencies in housing, educational facilities, health facilities, infrastructure, and an inadequate sewage system, all of which have contributed to serious hygiene and public health problems. Overall economic development has been slow and hampered by frequent political unrest.

Landmarks and public buildings

Landmarks in Gaza include the Great Mosque of Gaza (Great Omari Mosque)(see pictures at: http://www.baladna.ps/omari.htm), the Mosque of Al Sayed Hashem, the Mosque of Ibn Othman, the Mosque of Ibn Marwan, The Sheikh Abul Azm sanctuary, the Sheikh Ajlin sanctuary, Tell al Mintar, Napoleon's fort (Al Radwan Castle), and the Church of St. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. Porphyrius^[26].

• The Great Mosque (Al-Omari Mosque)

Located in downtown Gaza, Al-Omari Mosque with its splendid minaret, reputedly stands on the site of the first ancient temple of Marnas then a Greek Orthodox Church. Dagon was a major northwest Semitic god reportedly of grain and agriculture The Greek Orthodox Church ( Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία Hellēnorthódoxē Ekklēsía) is formed by several autocephalous churches The mosque was also the site of the Church of St. John the Baptist, a Norman church built by the Crusaders in the 12th century. Saint John the Baptist ( heb. Jochanan ben Sacharja, arab. يحيى Yaḥyā or يوحنا Yūḥanna, aram. On one of its pillars there used to be a Greek inscription which read "Hananiah bar Yaakov" (a Hebrew name) with a menorah carved above it. Pekiin tabletjpg|thumb|right|151px| Second Temple period stone tablet from a Synagogue in Peki'in, Israel. ^[27]

• Napoleon's Fort (Qasr El-Basha)

Also located in downtown Gaza, this imposing stone building dates back to the Mamluk period. Napoleon is believed to have spent a few nights here on his way through the town in 1799.

• St. Porphyrus Church

This 4th century church is where St. Porphyrius^[26] died and was buried in 420 CE. It is located in the Gaza's old city and still in use today by the Greek Orthodox community. (see pictures at: http://www.baladna.ps/SPCGaza.htm)

• Al-Sayed Hashem Mosque

Located in Al-Daraj Quarter, the mosque is one of the largest and most beautiful ancient mosques in Gaza. The Mosque of al-Sayyed Hashem is one of the largest and most notable ancient mosques in Gaza, located in Al-Daraj Quarter The tomb of Hashem bin Abd-Manaf, Mohammad's grandfather who died in Gaza during a trading voyage, is believed to be under the dome of the mosque.

Transportation

The Yasser Arafat International Airport in Gaza opened in 1998, but its runways and facilities were largely destroyed by the Israeli armed forces during the Al-Aqsa Intifada. Yasser Arafat International Airport (مطار ياسر عرفات الدولي transliterated: Matar Yasir 'Arafat ad-Dowaly, formerly Gaza International Airport Following Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in September 2005, Palestinian and Israeli negotiators discussed the possibility of reopening it, but meanwhile it remains closed.

Mayors

• Maged Awni Abu Ramadan (2005-)
• Sa’ed Kharma (2001-2005)
• Aown S. Shawa (1994-2001)
• Alad Abdul Peensiyah (2001-2004)

Town twinning

• Tel Aviv, Israel^[28]
• Dunkerque, France^[29]
• Turin, Italy^[30]
• Barcelona, Spain^[31]
• Cascais, Portugal^[32]
• Tromsø, Norway^[33]

See also

• Al-Azhar University - Gaza
• Battle of Gaza
• Little Gaza
• Porphyry of Gaza

References

http://www.iugaza.edu.ps External link (remember http:// prefix)

External links

• Municipality of Gaza
• Gaza at Google Maps
• Al-Azhar University-Gaza
• The Islamic University - Gaza
• [1]
• Gaza Strip and Jews in Gaza until 1929 (history) - highest density of population worldwide since 1949 (from Encyclopaedia Judaica 1971)

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