The "gates of hell" were opened! From biblical accounts to the never-ending Israel-Palestine war, the bloody history of Gaza

Gaza is only 41 km long and 11 km wide, but this small strip of land is one of the most fought over places in history. Here's a chronological look at what's happened over the centuries in this hot spot. 

Biblical references

Gaza is mentioned early in writings dating back to the 15th century BC. It was an early Egyptian base, a royal city of the Philistine people, and the place where the Jewish hero Samson was betrayed by Delilah and met his death. According to biblical references, the Philistines were a people of Aegean origin who settled on the southern coast of Palestine in the 12th century BC, around the time of the arrival of the Israelites. They promised Delilah, a Philistine girl, infinite riches if she would discover Samson's extraordinary strength. Seduced by her love, the Jewish hero confessed to the girl that his strength came from his hair. Delilah told this to the Philistines, who cut off Samson's hair and sent him to Gaza. Since then, much blood has been shed…

Samson and Delilah

From empire to empire

Over the centuries, various empires conquered the region, including the Assyrians, Persians, and Maccabees. In 632, it was conquered by the Arabs. As the Crusaders found Gaza almost deserted in the 12th century. Later, it fell into the hands of Napoleon and the Ottoman Empire. During the First World War, it was taken over by Great Britain, becoming part of the British Mandate of Palestine. In the following decades, bloody battles broke out from time to time between the Jewish and Arab populations in Gaza.

1947

The most intense race to take Gaza occurred at the end of World War II, when Jews persecuted by the Nazis fled Europe for Israel in search of a new beginning. After the horrors of the Holocaust, in 1947, the United Nations drew up a plan to divide Palestine into two territories, one for the Jews and one for the Arab people. Supported by the USA and the president at the time, Harry Truman, David Ben-Gurion, known as the "Father of the Israeli nation", on May 14, 1948, announced the declaration of Israel's independence. After that, Egypt attacked Israel through the Gaza Strip. Israel won and some 700,000 Palestinians fled or were driven from their land.

A stream of Palestinian refugees flee their homes during fighting in the Galilee between Israeli and Arab troops on November 4, 1948

1967-1978

In 1967, war broke out between Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Syria in what is known as the 6-Day War. Israel gained control of the Gaza Strip and held it for 38 years, only to withdraw in 2005, but the situation has not calmed down. In 1973, a coalition of Arab nations, led by Egypt and Syria, launched a surprise and coordinated attack on Israel on Yom Kippur, a Jewish holy day. There were a large number of casualties on both sides. A peace agreement between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin was brokered in September 1978 by US President Jimmy Carter, but nothing set in that agreement was ever implemented.

Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat join US President Bill Clinton at the White House after the signing of the Oslo Accords in September 1993

1987-2000

A Palestinian uprising, known as the first intifada, brought clashes, protests and civil disobedience against Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza. The riots had killed and injured on both sides. The second intifada began in 2000, after the visit that Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, made to a compound in Jerusalem that is revered in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In 2005, Ariel Sharon announced a plan to move all Jewish settlements and Israeli troops out of Gaza. Despite this, rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza continued. The Palestinians stated that Israel continued to control Gaza through strategic points, while Israel explained that such measures were necessary for security.

January 26, 2006

Hamas, which is listed by the United States, the European Union and others as a terrorist group, won overwhelmingly in Palestinian legislative elections. Palestinian militants attacked Israeli territory, killed two soldiers and kidnapped Gilad Shalit, a 19-year-old soldier.

2007-2008

After pledging to work together in a unity government, Hamas and Fatah, the other main Palestinian faction, fought each other, carrying out kidnappings and murders. Hamas claimed control of Gaza, while Fatah was in control of the West Bank. After continuous rocket attacks in southern Israel, the Israeli army launched Operation Cast Lead, which lasted three weeks and included a ground offensive in Gaza. Israel and Hamas reported different death tolls.

2011

Hamasi dhe Fatah shpallën sërish një qeveri uniteti, e cila nuk u realizua. Të dyja palët bënë një njoftim të ngjashëm një vit më vonë. Gilad Shalit, ushtari izraelit i rrëmbyer nga Hamas, u lirua pas pesë vjetësh në robëri. Në një marrëveshje të ndërmjetësuar nga Egjipti, Izraeli ra dakord të lirojë 1027 të burgosur palestinezë. Një vit më vonë, Izraeli vret shefin ushtarak të Hamasit, Ahmed Jabari, duke shkaktuar më shumë se një javë sulm me raketa nga Gaza.

Dhjetor 2017

SHBA-ja njeh Jerusalemin si kryeqytet. Administrata Trump e njeh Jerusalemin si kryeqytetin e Izraelit dhe njofton se planifikon të zhvendosë Ambasadën e SHBA-së nga Tel Avivi, duke shkaktuar zemërim te palestinezët.

Maj 2021

Israeli police raid al-Aqsa Mosque. After weeks of tension in Jerusalem that led to Israeli police raiding the al-Aqsa mosque, one of Islam's holiest sites, Hamas fired thousands of rockets into the city, prompting Israel to respond with hundreds of airstrikes.

Spring 2022

A wave of violence against Israelis by Palestinians left 14 Israelis dead in a series of attacks between March 22 and April 8. In response, Israel cracked down on militants and activists and launched a military operation.

October 2023

Netanyahu formally declared war on Hamas on October 8, following a surprise attack by Hamas militants that came a day after the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, or Arab-Israeli War. Israel says at least 900 Israelis have been killed by Hamas, including women, children and the elderly.

samson dhe dalila

nje lume refugjatesh palestineze u larguan nga shtepite e tyre gjate luftimeve ne galile midis trupave izraelite dhe arabe me 4 nentor 1948

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