Gaza

The town of Gaza (sometimes called Gaza City to distinguish it from the Gaza Strip which indicates the area as a whole) is the principal city of the Gaza Strip. After putbeing put under the civil and military control of the Palestinian Authority as of the application of the agreements of Jericho and Gaza of 1994 with Israel, it is since June 2007 under the control of the Hamas.

The population of the agglomeration rises with more than 300.000 people, of which a good third still saw in Palestinian camps of Réfugiés. The city with the highest population density in the world. The maze of its streets and lanes was often the theater of confrontations between the Israeli armed and the Palestinian activists, until the Israeli disengagement of this area.

Opened in May 1994, the beach of Gaza, formerly prohibited, is one of the only leisures of the inhabitants (the Gazaouis ) and the single place of relaxation. The majority of the women bathe all there equipped.

History

Antiquity

to also see the detailed article Gaza in Antiquity

The first reference to the town of Gaza goes up with the reign of Thoutmôsis III. The city is also quoted in the Lettres of Amarna. Its principal interest lies in its strategic position on the coastal road connecting the Egypt and the Syria. It is then an important shopping mall and an Egyptian advanced station.

In the Years -1190, the Philistine , one of the Peuples of the sea originating in Crete is installed on the southern part cananéenne (of Gaza with Jaffa), after having attacked Egypt. The Philistines will leave their name well later to the whole of the territory that the Romains will call: Palestine.

The Philistine city was a walled city of approximately 80 hectares, built on a hill approximately 45 meters above the sea level, with approximately 2,4 kilometers of the Mediterranean.

Gaza is also mentioned in the Bible, like one of the principal cities of the Philistines in war against Israël : it is in particular there that Samson is taken (cf Judges 16) and that he dies while making collapse a Philistine temple.

In -525, the city is conquered by Cambyse II, large King achéménide of the Perse empire, to be used as head of bridge in all its campaigns towards Egypt.

In -145, Gaza is conquered by Jonathan Macchabée, brother of Juda Macchabée and founder of the dynasty judéenne of the Hasmonéens.

Towards 630, the Arabs besiege the Jewish population of the city and take Gaza. Regarded as the city where the large father of Mahomet would be buried, the city becomes an important Islamic center.

Gaza is conquered by the Croisés at the 12th century then in August 1187, following the Bataille of Hattin, the city passes under the influence of Saladin (Salâh AD-DIN).

Modern history

During the First World War, the forces of the the United Kingdom captures Gaza of the hands of the Ottoman Empire, the November 7th 1917, at the conclusion of the battle of Gaza. It will remain under the British mandate until the military withdrawal of 1947.

From 1948 to 1967, the Gaza Strip is occupied by Egypt. The Israelis occupy it following the Guerre the Six Day old.

Between 1976 and 1981, a new movement, the Hamas, creates in Gaza of the institutions like Al-Mujamma Al-islami , Al-Jam' iyya Al-islamiyya and the Islamic university of Gaza .

In 1987, it is in Gaza that the the First Intifada begins, the “revolt of the stones”, before extending to the unit from the occupied territories until in 1993 with opening of negotiations israélo-Palestinian leading to the Accords from Oslo.

May 4th, 1994, the PLO obtains the management of Gaza and Jericho. The president Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Autorité settle in Gaza. The sea front roughcasts buildings and luxurious hotels, whereas the refugee camps, installed on the coast in the north of the city, remain always unhealthy. In the south of Gaza, the Israeli Colony of the Gush Katif and its beach private, prohibited with the Palestinians and protected by soldiers, will be evacuated only during the summer 2005.

Last decade

September 26th, 2001, in Gaza, meets historical between Yasser Arafat and Shimon Peres after three successive carryforwards.

October 17th, 2001: following an ultimatum launched by the Israeli government with the Palestinian Authority, this one declares outlaw the military wing of PFLP and makes carry out 12 arrests in Gaza.

November 23rd, 2001: in Gaza, a teenager is killed by the Israeli army during funerals of 5 Palestinian children, killed the day before by the explosion of a booby trap.

December 7th, 2001: in the night, the general headquarter of the Palestinian police force is bombarded by Israeli combat helicopters. then after the Attack-suicide against an Israeli bus made 11 having died and 30 wounded, Tsahal intensifies of the 12 to the 15, its bombardments against the Palestinian infrastructures of Gaza and the West Bank, causing the death of 13 Palestinians.

January 10th, 2002: In response with the attack of militants of the Hamas against Israeli soldiers, Tsahal destroys with the bulldozer the track of the Aéroport of Gaza and, in the night of the 11 to the 12, the Israeli navy bombards the Port of Gaza. Following the attack-suicide of January 25th, Tsahal response again by bombarding installations of the Palestinian security services.

March 8th, 2002: true “black Friday” where at the time of the battles, 46 Palestinians and 6 Israelis find death. Israeli the Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is ready “to negotiate a cease-fire under fire”, renonçant with his one week requirement of calm before taking again the talks. On March 11th and 12th, following the attacks of March 9th, Tsahal response by the destruction of the offices of Yasser Arafat in Gaza : 39 Palestinians are killed.

May 10th, 2002: arrived at Gaza of 6 of the 13 of the Palestinians taken refuge in the sanctuary of the Basilica of the Nativity at Bethlehem, where they are accommodated as hero.

June 8th, 2003: Following an attack of the Hamas in Jerusalem (23 killed Israelis and 130 wounded), Tsahal immediately carries out a raid of reprisals on Gaza: 7 Palestinians are killed of which a person in charge of Hamas. 10, new raid of reprisals of Tsahal with Gaza : Abdel Aziz Al-Rantissi, number 2 of Hamas, is slightly wounded and 3 Palestinians are killed.

August 21st, 2003: Israel counteracts the Attentat of the August 19th by a raid of helicopter in Gaza, killing one of the founders of Hamas, Ismaïl Abou Chamah, and by the re-establishment of the cutting road block into two the Gaza Strip. The 24, two activists of the Hamas and 2 members of the close guard of Yasser Arafat are killed in Gaza.

Saturday, September 6, 2003: Tsahal bombards a building of Gaza in which the sheik Ahmed Yassin was, spiritual leader of the Hamas, which is slightly wounded.

January 28th, 2004: At the time of an operation of the Israeli army, 13 Palestinians are killed in confrontations violent one.

March 22nd, 2004: The sheik Ahmed Yassin is killed by an Israeli missile.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005: Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, decides unilateral withdrawal of the Gaza Strip by the State of Israel within the framework of a broader policy which, in the absence of peace agreement, aims at putting a term at the absence of physical borders between Israel and the future Palestinian State.

Historical personalities

Sylvain of Gaza: catholic saint, bishop of Gaza, decapitated in 311
Procope of Gaza: sophist of the end of the 5th century

Proverbs, anecdote

In modern Hebrew, “Goes to the devil! ” says itself commonly “Goes to Gaza! ” In Arabic, to say the same thing, one specifies: “Thus will drink sea water in Gaza! ”

The Gauze, invaluable fabric traded with the the Middle Ages following the example Muslin (of Mosul) or Damas (of Damas), is originating in Gaza.

External bonds

Gaza: life out of cage - Internet site of the reports carried out by the journalists Jerome Equer and Herve Kempf on the daily life of the inhabitants of Gaza.

Simple: Gaza

Random links:

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