Old City of Gaza
البلدة القديمة الغزة | |
|---|---|
Old city | |
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 1931 Survey of Palestine map | |
| Coordinates: 31°30′12″N 34°27′48″E / 31.50333°N 34.46333°E | |
| Country |  Palestine |
| City | Gaza City |
The Old City of Gaza is the historical center of Gaza City, in the Gaza Strip. For much of recorded history it has been the southernmost coastal city in the region of Palestine, occupying a strategic position on ancient trade route of the Via Maris, between Egypt and the Levant. Throughout its history, Gaza has been ruled by various empires, including the Philistines, Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Romans, and Ottomans.
Following Israeli bombardment during the ongoing Gaza–Israel conflict, the Old City has been described in 2024 as "a vast field of ruins".[1]
- ^ Mraffko, Clothilde; Forey, Samuel (2024-02-14). "Israeli bombs are wiping out Gaza's heritage and history". Le Monde.fr. Retrieved 2024-09-29.
Whether the Israelis act intentionally or not, "the result is effectively the erasure of a heritage and a history. Symbolically, this is important because this is one of the ways in which people are attached to their territory," warned Benoît Tadié, former cultural adviser to the French consulate general in Jerusalem between 2009 and 2013. He takes as an example the Old City of Gaza, which, like much of the north of the enclave, is now a vast field of ruins. "It wasn't just a site, it was also the heart of today's city. The hammam and the Pacha's Palace were extremely popular places. The museum also served as a place of education for schoolchildren," explained Tadié.