Gaza, a coastal strip along the Mediterranean shore, holds a significant historical legacy as a crossroads of ancient trade and maritime routes.
It endured a tumultuous past, transitioning from Ottoman Empire rule until 1917 to British, Egyptian, and Israeli military governance over the last century, culminating in its current status as a fenced-in enclave home to over 2 million Palestinians.
As British colonial authority waned in Palestine during the late 1940s, tensions escalated between Jewish and Arab communities, ultimately erupting into a full-fledged war between the newly established State of Israel and its Arab neighbours in May 1948.
This conflict displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians, leading them to seek refuge in Gaza. The invading Egyptian army occupied a narrow coastal strip, boosting Gaza's population to around 200,000.
Egypt administered the Gaza Strip for two decades under military governance, permitting Palestinians to work and study in Egypt. Palestinian "fedayeen," many of whom were refugees, conducted attacks on Israel, provoking retaliatory actions.
The United Nations established the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which presently offers services to 1.6 million registered Palestinian refugees in Gaza and other regions.
Israel captured Gaza during the 1967 Middle East conflict. At that time, an Israeli census recorded Gaza's population at 394,000, with over 60% being refugees. With the Egyptians out of the picture, many Gazans found employment in various industries within Israel. Israeli forces remained to administer the territory and safeguard settlements constructed over the ensuing decades, which became a source of Palestinian discontent.
Two decades after the 1967 war, Palestinians initiated their first intifada (uprising). This movement started in December 1987 following a tragic traffic accident involving an Israeli truck and Palestinian workers in Gaza's Jabalya refugee camp.
The incident resulted in stone-throwing protests, strikes, and shutdowns. Seizing the prevailing anger, the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood established Hamas, an armed Palestinian faction based in Gaza, presenting a significant challenge to Yasser Arafat's secular Fatah party.
An historic peace agreement was signed in 1993, leading to the creation of the Palestinian Authority. Under this interim accord, Palestinians initially gained limited control in Gaza and Jericho in the West Bank.
The Oslo process granted the Palestinian Authority some autonomy and envisioned statehood within five years. However, this vision remained unfulfilled, with disputes over security agreements and continued Israeli settlement construction souring relations.
In 2000, Israeli-Palestinian relations further deteriorated with the outbreak of the second Palestinian intifada, marked by suicide bombings, shootings, Israeli air strikes, demolitions, and curfews.
Gaza International Airport, a symbol of Palestinian economic independence and their sole link to the outside world not controlled by Israel or Egypt was dismantled. Israel also restricted Gaza's fishing zone to curb smuggling.
In August 2005, Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza, effectively isolating the territory from the outside world. Palestinians dismantled the abandoned structures, and a "tunnel economy" prospered as tunnels were dug into Egypt. However, the evacuation also eliminated settlement-based industries, impacting Gazan employment.
Hamas achieved a surprising victory in Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006 and subsequently assumed full control of Gaza, displacing forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas. Many in the international community halted aid to Hamas-controlled areas, designating it a terrorist organisation.
Israel restricted the entry of tens of thousands of Palestinian workers and imposed tight restrictions on the movement of people and goods through Gaza crossings. Gaza's economy faced setbacks.
Gaza has repeatedly suffered economic setbacks due to the recurring cycle of conflict, attacks, and retaliations between Israel and Palestinian militant groups. One of the most severe clashes occurred in 2014, when Hamas and other groups launched rockets into Israeli cities, leading to devastating Israeli air strikes and artillery bombardment in Gaza.
Recent events in 2023 took a dramatic turn when Hamas fighters, previously believed to be subdued through economic incentives, launched a sudden and shocking attack on Israel. This assault led to severe reprisals, including air strikes and destruction in Gaza, marking one of the bloodiest episodes in Gaza's 75-year history of conflict.