The Gaza Strip has a long and complex history that can be divided into its status before and after 1948, the year marking the Arab-Israeli War and significant geopolitical changes in the region. Before 1948:
- The area historically known as Gaza was part of the Palestine region under the Ottoman Empire from the 16th century until World War I.
- After World War I, Gaza came under British Mandate rule as part of the Palestine mandate.
- The region has been inhabited for thousands of years, with Gaza city itself having a history of over 4,000 years. It was ruled by various empires including the Egyptians, Philistines, Assyrians, Greeks (Alexander the Great), Romans, and later Muslim rulers.
- Gaza city was an important trading and military location with a diverse population.
- Before 1948, Palestine, including Gaza, was home to a mix of Arabs, Jews, and Christians living together.
After 1948:
- The British Mandate ended in 1948, and the first Arab-Israeli war broke out.
- During the 1948 war, many Palestinian refugees fled or were expelled to Gaza, causing a large population increase in the small territory.
- Gaza came under Egyptian military control following the war.
- The boundaries of the Gaza Strip were established by the armistice agreements between Egypt and Israel in 1949, setting it as a narrow coastal territory about 25 miles long and 4-5 miles wide.
- From 1949 to 1967, Gaza was administered by Egypt but not annexed, and many refugees lived in camps with aid from the UNRWA.
- In the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel captured the Gaza Strip from Egypt and occupied it until 2005.
- Since then, Gaza has been a focal point of Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with governance by Palestinian authorities and Hamas in recent years.
This brief overview covers the key historical periods and changes in Gaza before and after 1948, highlighting its long-standing historical importance and the dramatic changes following mid-20th century conflicts.
