A Brief History of Gaza
Gaza is a small strip of land between the border of Egypt and Israel. The area has been associated with conflict since the beginning of its existence. In ancient times, the region was an important trading center that served markets in Asia, North Africa and Europe. The prime strategic location caused many battles for control over the region beginning in the 13th century BC when the Philistines took over the territory. Later, the region was under control of the Hasmonean Kingdom, Alexander the Great, Napoleon and the Ottoman Empire.
Following the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and two World Wars, the territory was partitioned into separate Arab and Jewish states. This division was one of the factors leading to the 1948 war fought between the Arab world and Israel. Egypt gained control of Gaza under the 1949 Armistice Agreement while Jordan gained control of the West Bank.
Thousands of Arabs sought refuge in the territory after Israel gained independence in 1948. The region remained under Egyptian rule until the 6 Days War in 1967 resulted in Israeli occupation of the area. The territory remained under Israeli control for almost three decades while Palestinians clashed with Jewish settlers for their own independence.
A Palestinian uprising quickly spread from the territory’s northern region to the rest of the area in 1987. The Hamas party gained influence in the territory and demanded an independent Palestinian state. A semi-autonomous government known was the Palestinian Authority was unable to stop attacks perpetrated by organizations like Hamas and a second uprising occurred in 2000. In 2005, Israel withdrew its troops from the territory, and the influence of Hamas in the region has grown further since then. In 2006, fighting exploded in the region again after Hamas won a majority of seats in the region’s parliamentary elections. As a result, Israel has blockaded the territory in an effort to damage the region’s economy and undermine the capacity of Hamas to govern.
