gaza city travel

How to travel to the Gaza Strip in Palestine (2024)

By Joan Torres 36 Comments Last updated on April 29, 2024

This is a guest post written by fellow traveler @log_nick

Millions of people travel to Israel every year; some of them go farther into the West Bank , but there’s a place over there which almost nobody has visited before – the Gaza Strip .

Very few have ever managed to enter it due to existing travel restrictions and because of safety concerns.

We usually see only bad things about Gaza in the media, so most people associate it with war, destruction, and extremism.

But behind the complex political and ideological issues, there is reality of life.

The reality made of everyday stories of ordinary human beings who live and struggle, cry and smile, dream and despair; of people who take their kids to school in the morning, rush to the mosque for the prayer, buy vegetables from a donkey cart, build homes and plans for the future.

What’s sad is that we know nothing about that reality and see the Strip as a mere black spot on the map.

That’s why, after having had the chance to live in Gaza for some time, I decided to write everything you need to know to travel to Gaza , to color up that black spot and show a human, dignified picture of it.

Although it’s far from being a tourist destination, I do hope that one day the situation will change and everybody will live in peace, while visitors will be able to discover this offbeat destination.  

In this travel guide to Gaza you will find:

Table of Contents

• Entry and exit formalities
• Society and culture
• Transportation
• Accommodation
• Things to do
• Northern area
• Middle area
• Southern area
• More information

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Read: How to travel to Syria (visas, safety, transportation and more!)

Traveling to the Gaza Strip: a short background

Gaza Strip is a small piece of land, roughly 40 km from north to south and 6-12 km from west to east.

Despite being an administrative part of the State of Palestine, it’s geographically separated from the West Bank by Israeli territory.  

It’s inhabited by 2 million people, among whom some 1.4 million are Palestinian refugees from towns and villages destroyed or occupied by Israel during the 1948 and 1967 wars.

Many of these people today live in areas which were originally refugee camps, but then grew into big, densely populated neighborhoods with narrow alleys, chaotically built makeshift or concrete houses, inefficient or non-existent infrastructure.

The situation in the Strip has become particularly dire since the Hamas movement came into power in 2006, which led to political divisions with the Fatah government in the West Bank and a suffocating land, sea and air blockade imposed by Israel.

These developments, followed by three wars with Israel in 2008, 2012 and 2014, had a devastating impact on the population and the local economy.

Now more than half of the population is unemployed and unable to leave the Strip, there’s no clean water and electricity is provided for some 5-7 hours a day.

Read: Airbnb in a Palestinian refugee camp

🪪 How to get a visa for Gaza

Visiting Gaza is possible, but extremely difficult.

A foreigner needs to apply for a special visa or travel permit at the Israeli or the Egyptian embassy, depending on what border crossing you will use: Erez (Israel) or Rafah (Egypt) .

The whole process, however, can be as tedious and lengthy as for a Gazan citizen wishing to leave the Strip.

To have the permit or visa granted, a foreigner needs to have a specific reason for traveling to Gaza. Reasons which are considered valid are normally limited to diplomatic or humanitarian missions, journalism or important business issues.

This means that tourists can’t to travel to Gaza for tourism or private purposes.

From the Palestinian side, you are not asked for any visa or permit.

Instead, you need a “contact” in Gaza who would notify the Ministry of Interior in advance about your arrival, purpose of visit and accommodation in the Strip.

The same ”contact” person would have to meet you at your point of entry.

How to travel to Gaza: entry & exit formalities

There are two ways of visiting Gaza:

• From Israel

As for my personal experience, I think that the best way to travel to Gaza is from Israel (Erez border crossing) because it’s safer and better organized.

How to travel to Gaza from Israel

On the Israeli side, the building looks like an airport terminal where you go through passport control and get your pink exit card (the one you normally get when leaving Israel).

On the other side of the separation wall, you will find free shuttles driving you through empty land till the first checkpoint, managed by PA officials, who check your bags for prohibited items (e.g., alcohol). Behind the checkpoint, you will always find a taxi ready to drop you at the next checkpoint some 300 meters ahead.

There, some PA officers may ask you some questions about the purpose of your visit in Gaza before letting you through the gate to the Hamas side.

You will find yourself at an intersection full of cars, people and donkey carts.

Hamas officers will take you across the street to their checkpoint hidden behind the military-painted concrete blocks.

They will ask additional questions, check your passport and bags and register your entry into the Strip.

How to travel to Israel from Gaza

When leaving the Strip, you don’t normally face difficulties at the Palestinian checkpoints.

You may have to wait a little bit (from 15 minutes to 2 hours) at the PA checkpoint until the officers coordinate your crossing with the Israeli side.

There’s free wifi and a small shop with drinks and snacks. The officer will call your name as soon as he receives the green light for you to cross.

Once inside the Israeli terminal, you and your luggage will undergo a thorough X-ray and physical checks, then passport control where you’ll receive the blue entry card.

Nota Bene!! To leave the Gaza Strip, you have to use the same border crossing you used for entry. This is the reason why I recommend going through Erez. The Rafah crossing is mainly used by Palestinians as the only gateway to the outside world and is known for being overcrowded and chaotic, with unpredictable delays, closures, and denials to cross.

📚 Best books for traveling to Gaza

Palestine travel guide by bradt.

The guide I bought when I traveled in the West Bank also has a full episode dedicated to the Gaza Strip.

The 51-day war: Ruin and resistance in Gaza, Max Blumenthal

This book narrates the struggle of the Palestinian families during the 2014 war against Israel.

⚠️ Is it safe to travel to Gaza?

Due to its sensitive and volatile context, a trip to Gaza certainly implies certain potential dangers.

Based on personal experience, I can say that the major risk a foreigner can face there is military escalation .

Gazans have gone through several wars and numerous periods of tension in recent years and, today they continue to live in constant fear of new clashes.

If the situation “erupts” while you are there, try to leave the Strip as soon as possible. If the borders are closed, the best option would be to stay at your hotel/accommodation and ask the staff for safety instructions.

IMPORTANT! Remember that there are no sirens or bomb shelters in Gaza.

During normal times, the situation is pretty safe.

Crime in Gaza

As a foreigner, you can freely walk in the streets unescorted. Locals are super friendly and criminality rates, like pickpocketing, robberies or aggression, are very rare. If you face any problem or difficulty, passers-by would be happy to help you.

Scams in Gaza

When you visit the Gaza Strip, it’s also unlikely that you face any serious scams like in some other Middle East countries .

In a shop or at the market, you may try to haggle a bit – which is a sort of tradition – but prices are normally fair from the beginning. Sellers are never pushy and are often willing to give you something for free because it’s an honour for them to see a foreigner in Gaza.

Be careful, however, in the port area where some street vendors may feel tempted to overcharge you (once I was asked to pay 20 ILS for a bottle of juice which actually costs 2-3 ILS).

Read: Visiting Aleppo during the post-war

Taking photos

Also, be extremely cautious with taking pictures. If you’re photographing random people, be polite and ask permission in advance.

Don’t take pictures of government buildings or military facilities and note that some of them can be unmarked and located in normal residential buildings.

In this case, a good precaution is to ask passers-by or a police officer if you can take a picture of something.

🕌 Society and culture: the Gazans

People in the Strip are simple, friendly and warmhearted.

Most of them are devoted Muslims and religion plays a fundamental role in every aspect of their daily lives.

There is also a small Christian community of some 1000 people who live in good relations with the rest of the population.

There’s an incredible level of solidarity among families and random people.

It’s common for a person to share his salary with unemployed relatives to help them feed their big families, besides providing for his own wife and 5-6 children. Or if two strangers start arguing in the street, passers-by will immediately intervene to calm the situation down.

As a rare foreigner in Gaza, get ready to be an attraction for everybody, especially the kids. People will just approach in the street to say hi and ask where you’re from and what you’re doing traveling in Gaza.

Most of them will do everything to make you feel welcome. Learn some phrases in Arabic or, better, get an Arabic-speaking companion because their level of English is very limited.

Since most Gazans have very little contact with the outside, they are curious to learn what life is like in your country and know your opinion on the situation in Gaza.

Their own views in this regard vary from person to person, but for sure everybody is very tired of the blockade, the economic crisis, and unemployment.

Whatever your position is on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it’s good to empathize with the locals, but not go further into political discussions with random people.

Also, guests must dress and behave appropriately, as they would do in a city like Nablus or Cairo. Women are not obliged to wear a headscarf, but this could be a useful option if you visit rural areas and the refugee camps, where people are more conservative.

In this way, you will avoid unnecessary attention and comments.

🍲 The food in Gaza

There are plenty of options for every wallet: from street food and cafés to posh restaurants.

From personal experience, eating in high-end restaurants on the seafront doesn’t necessarily mean better food quality or more variety of dishes.

Almost all places serve the same Palestinian food; others also have some international dishes like pasta and steaks.

Fast food like pizzas and burgers are also popular.

Alcohol is illegal in the Gaza Strip, so forget about it while you are there.

Average prices per person:

• Street food (falafel, shawarma): 1-4 ILS
• Shawarma/kebab plate: 12-15 ILS
• Burger: 15-20 ILS
• Pizza (depending on the size): 20-35 ILS
• Full meal with drinks in a mid-level restaurant: 25-40 ILS
• Full meal with drinks in a posh restaurant: 80-100 ILS

Also, I think it’s a must for everybody whoever visits Gaza to try one of the local fish and seafood restaurants.

Popular dishes are “ zibdiya ” (a traditional clay bowl with shrimps stewed in tomato sauce with peppers and spices), grilled seabream called “ denis ” and roasted crabs – “ salta’onat ”.

Best restaurants in Gaza

• Mounir – located in Abu Hasira street; owners are a well-known family of fishermen. Everything from fishes to calamari and crabs is fresh and displayed at the entrance. Here you can also try the best fish soup (a little spicy). The ambiance is cozy and the average bill is around 50 ILS per person.
• Matoug – located in Omar al-Mukhtar street, in front of the Unknown Soldier Park. An excellent place to try local specialties like maqluba , fatta , msakhkhan and even zaghalil (stuffed pigeons). It has an English menu.
• Beit Sitti – located in a narrow alley in Old Gaza. The name means “My Grandma’s House” in Arabic and, actually, the restaurant is inside a big Palestinian house with authentic furniture, traditional tools and decorations. It has an English menu and English-speaking staff who are also happy to offer you a tour of the premises.
• Level Up – a panoramic restaurant on the 11 th floor of an office building in Jalaa street, near Saraya square.

You may also want to read: where in the Middle East is safe?

💰 Money in Gaza

The main currency in the Gaza Strip is the Israeli shekel (ILS) .

Agoras are not used and the price is normally rounded up / down to 1 ILS.

Dollars and euros can be easily exchanged in numerous currency shops at a fair rate.

There are also many banks with ATMs, however, I don’t recommend this option as your card may end up being blocked for attempts to withdraw from such a controversial place. Better bring enough cash.

🛺 How to travel around Gaza: transportation

There is no regular public transport in Gaza, except for some private buses that the government and universities hire to transport commuting employees and students for a small fee.

Locals normally move around in shared taxis and by hitchhiking random cars going in the same direction. The system is super easy: you just stand by the road and every third car will beep you to offer a lift. Just tell the driver where you are going and agree on the price.

In the streets, you can spot out old 6-door Mercedes taxis called “ limousines ” by locals. They are absolutely fascinating and typical only of the Gaza Strip. You will not find such cars in Israel or the West Bank anymore.

To move between cities, you may take a shared minivan. Departure is usually from a specific spot in each city. In Gaza city, for example, you can find them near Shifa hospital or in Jalaa street in front of Saraya square.

You can also use Careem app to order a car – it works exactly like Uber and is very popular here.

An example of prices:

• Shared ride within Gaza city: 2-4 ILS
• Shared ride between cities: 5-10 ILS
• Private taxi / Careem within Gaza: 10-15 ILS
• Private taxi / Careem between cities: 30-70 ILS

🏨 Accommodation: where to stay in Gaza

Finding a place to stay in the Strip is easy.

Average accommodation, however, is not as cheap as one may imagine compared to local living standards.

There are quite a few hotels in Gaza City:

Marna House, Al-Deira, Roots, Commodore Gaza, Gloria, Grand Palace, City Star, Palestine .

Most of them are located in Al-Rasheed street which runs along the sea.

Prices range between 60 and 120 dollars per night.

Do expect inconveniences like power cuts and water issues.

To book a room, you need to contact the hotel directly by phone or email – contacts can be found on their Facebook pages.

You can also just show up without booking – chances are high that you will be the only guest .

Today these hotels survive mainly as restaurants and wedding halls.

Also, there are two high-level hotels in Sudaniya district, north of Gaza City:

ArcMed Mashtal and Al-Mathaf .

The latter means “museum” in Arabic and is a private boutique hotel with stylish rooms and authentic Palestinian vibes. The owner is a history and archeology lover – his rich collection of antiquities is displayed for free in the foyer of the hotel.

Only 2 options are available in the whole Strip, but I’m not sure how reliable these listings are.

Couchsurfing and homestays

There seem to be quite a lot of hosts on Couchsurfing offering hospitality throughout the Strip.

My advice here is to select carefully and remember that, under local laws and customs, you are not allowed to live with people of the opposite sex unless they are your relatives.

The situation is different if you are invited to stay with a Palestinian family.

If you are a solo female traveler, it’s not impossible to find a homestay, which could be an authentic and emotionally enriching experience, as well as a good way to offer a small economic contribution to the impoverished local population.

However, this is hardly an option for male travelers because their presence in the house, at a certain point, would become embarrassing and burdening for the female members of the family, obliged to wear headscarves all the time.

Plenty of houses and villas can be found in the countryside which owners offer for short-term rent. Locals call them “ chalets ”.

These houses are normally fenced and furnished, have a courtyard with a swimming pool, a volleyball pitch or just a lawn.

Middle-class Gazans split the cost between relatives and friends and rent them during the weekend to relax, swim and spend time together – a good alternative to overcrowded beaches and polluted sea water.

Chalets can be found on Facebook. Average costs are 100-150 dollars per house per day .

💻 Internet and connectivity

Your Israeli SIM card will not work in Gaza, so you may want to buy a local one.

There are two options: Jawwal and Oooredoo .

Both are good for calls and SMS, though the internet is slow.

You’ll need your passport to buy a SIM card.

Good wifi is available in mid- and high-level restaurants and hotels.

Things to do in the Gaza Strip

Before actually planning to get around the Strip, I recommend three things.

• First, arrange to have an Arabic-speaking companion with you. Although you can move around freely on your own, you’re still likely to face a situation when you need language assistance. A lot of people will stop you in the street out of curiosity, as well as the police may check your documents. Many find it difficult to understand why a foreigner might want to come to Gaza and some individuals may even get suspicious of you. That’s why a local friend may be helpful.
• Second, if you eventually decide to go around alone, use Maps.me – their offline map is the most precise. Google Maps is useless in the Strip since most places and street names are unmarked.
• Third, you will still need a tour guide from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to visit specific sites. You should contact them in advance and they will be happy to assign you an English-speaking guide.

Here are the different options of how you can spend your time traveling in Gaza:

Things to do in Gaza city

Gaza is the main city, busy and lively, divided into 20 administrative districts.

The overall atmosphere feels like Hebron or Nablus, but with more population density and less infrastructure.

Old Gaza City

The main historical sites are concentrated in Daraj , Tuffah and Zeitun districts and are all easily walkable.

Go towards Omari mosque – The oldest and biggest in the Strip. Built by the Mamluks in the 14 th century, it incorporated elements and features of the religious buildings that had stood here in the previous epochs, e.g. St. John’s basilica. Ask for sheikh Tareq – a very welcoming man who works as a guide of the mosque – for a short tour in English.

Qaysariya and Zawiya markets – Adjacent to the mosque you find two markets.

The first is a narrow alley with a vaulted roof and shiny windows of jewelry shops, known as the Gold Market. Well-off Gazans come here to buy dowry for the bride before a wedding. Interestingly, most of these shops belong to local Christian families.

Zawiya market, instead, is an open-air souq in Gaza where you can find any kind of stuff: from vegetables and household items to antiquities and cattle.

Sayed Hashim mosque – Walk through Zawiya market towards Palestine square and turn right. Continue towards Wahda street and in 15 minutes you will reach Sayed Hashim mosque.

This ancient and beautiful mosque hosts the tomb of, allegedly, the great-grandfather of Prophet Mohammad – Hashim ibn Abd Manaf.

I read somewhere on the internet that only Muslims can go inside – this is not true! Dress properly, take off your shoes as in any mosque and ask someone working there to show you around.

Al-Basha Palace – Then, go back to Wahda street and walk eastwards until you reach Al-Basha Palace . This elegant manor used to be the residence of local Mamluk and Ottoman governors.

Under the British mandate, it was transformed into a police station, whose cells and execution chamber can be visited today. The main building now hosts a public archeological museum with artifacts from all over the Strip.

You need an official guide from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to access the Palace.

St. Porphyry church and the Holy Family church – In the opposite part of Old Gaza, you can’t miss the only two churches functioning in the Strip today.

The first is the oldest church in Gaza, dedicated to St. Porphyry, bishop of Gaza in the 5 th century.

The church is impressive from the inside, with frescos, old icons, and an amazing iconostasis.

The church compound with the adjacent Christian cemetery today officially belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church.

The neighborhood is a quiet and pleasant place to walk around and discover some hidden treasures like old buildings, mosques, and distinctive corners.

Not far away, slightly hidden from the street by a tall fence, is the Holy Family church . It serves the local Catholic community of not more than 200-250 people.

Bath and relax in the Samaritan hammam

The only Turkish baths in the Strip. Owned by the ancient Jewish community of Samaritans till the 16 th century, today it’s an excellent place to relax and socialize with ordinary Gazans. The baths have preserved their original structure and heating system.

Entrance to the baths is 20 ILS, plus 18 ILS if you want a body scrub and a massage.

Bring your swimming shorts, flip flops and a towel. Very crowded on Friday and Saturday.

Visit the British war cemetery

Located north of Shujaiya district, it’s a wide green field with over 1700 graves of soldiers most of whom died in this area during World War I.

The majority of them were British, but there are also graves of Australians, Canadians, Indians and Poles.

Today a local family, employed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, takes care of the cemetery. Entrance to the area is free (if the main gate from Saladin street is closed, you can still access the cemetery through the residential area south of it).

Take a boat tour

Inside the port area, you are likely to be approached by touts and teenagers offering boat tours. The boats leave from the dock near the lighthouse and the cost is around 5 ILS for a shared and 20-30 ILS for a private tour.

The tour normally takes place around the port and, obviously, never close to the limit zone patrolled by the Israeli navy. After the tour, you can walk along the pier to take nice photos of the colorful fishing boats with the city in the background.

When exiting the port, turn right and 100 meters after Hassaina mosque you will reach the fish market . Fishermen and their catch are there in the morning.

The amount and variety of the catch depends on the extension of the fishing zone: limits are set and changed by the Israeli authorities based on the political situation.

Go to the beach

All beaches are public and very crowded in the summer. However, finding a chair and an umbrella is never a problem.

You can see Gazans swim and have fun despite the sea being polluted with sewage water, but you’d better not to challenge your immune system. From time to time, street vendors will pass by selling sweet potatoes, biscuits and other snacks.

In the evening, you can enjoy a magical sunset from one of the seafront cafés.

What to visit in the northern area of Gaza

This area comprises everything that is north of Gaza city, in particular, the towns of Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanun.

Visit the archeological area of the Byzantine church

Not much can be seen, however, besides an old 5 th -century mosaic with scenes of the Last Supper, images of local flora and fauna and 16 inscriptions in Greek.

The church was completely destroyed in the 9 th century during the Iconoclastic period.

The site is currently undergoing restoration, while the mosaic has been covered with a layer of sand to protect it from damage.

The entrance is from Saladin street, with prior arrangement through the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Go for a strawberry tasting in a farm in Beit Lahia

This green hilly area is particularly renowned for its citrus fruits and big juicy strawberries, which in better times were largely exported abroad. Contacts of these farms can be found on Facebook. One of them is Al-Shafi’i Farm .

Things to do in the middle area of Gaza

This administrative area comprises the towns and villages situated between Gaza city and Khan Yunis.

Visit St. Hilarion’s monastery

Known locally as Tell Umm Al-‘Amer, this is considered to be the oldest monastery in Palestine, founded in the 4 th century by Hilarion the Great.

As time passed by, the monastery grew into a big compound with chapels, cells for monks and pilgrims, refectory and baths… until its destruction by an earthquake in the 8 th.

Today, not much is left: only some walls, pavements, columns and mosaics. The site is located west of Nuseirat.

You will need to arrange your visit with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in advance, otherwise, the site may be closed.

Pass by the second British cemetery

Located near the eastern entrance to the town of Zawayda.

This one is smaller than the Gaza cemetery, but not less interesting, picturesque and peaceful.

Here you can even notice several Jewish tombs, which for me was something really unexpected.

Attend the harvesting of dates in Deir al-Balah.

The town’s name is literally translated as “the monastery of dates” and, in fact, the countryside between Nuseirat and Deir Al-Balah is dotted with many tall date palms.

During the harvesting season in autumn, farmers climb to the top of the palms with a rope and cut down bunches of ripe dates.

Things to do in the Southern area of Gaza

This administrative area comprises the provinces of Khan Yunis and Rafah.

Go sightseeing in Khan Yunis

The second-largest city in the Gaza Strip. It may appear grey and unattractive at first glance, but it’s definitely worth taking a stroll in the downtown area full of shops, market stalls and warm smiles of locals.

Barquq castle  – The city doesn’t have an old part as such, but you can’t miss the iconic Barquq castle overlooking the central square and the main mosque.

What was once part of a big caravanserai – “ khan ” in Arabic – now is only a façade with the former city gate, the minaret and several empty rooms used for storing goods in the past.

Old railway – Not far away is Sikka street, where the Haifa-Cairo railway used to pass before 1967. Some elderly Gazans still remember the times when they could take the train and reach Cairo in one night, without any borders, permits and security concerns.

Part of the railway – “ Sikka ” in Arabic – has been preserved as a monument. Also, the building of the old train station still exists, but is now used as a storage facility by the municipality.

Wednesday market  – By the way, today the city is well-known for its Wednesday market which takes place in the central streets and draws people from all over the Strip.

An interesting experience could also be a visit to the cattle market held weekly on a sandy road along a big compound of greenhouses north of the city.

Mosque of the Dome – Also north of Khan Yunis, an unusual mosque called Mosque of the Dome is worth a visit. Head towards Al-Mawasi village and you will see a big golden dome from the distance. It’s simple from the inside, but has impressive natural acoustics.

Visit a Bedouin camp

There’s a number of Bedouin communities in Khan Yunis and Rafah countryside – you can often notice their camel paddocks from the road.

Remember that Bedouins are conservative, sensitive and, unlike in Israel or the West Ban k , are not used to visitors.

That’s why behave with utmost empathy and respect. A good idea is to bring food or something useful as a gift.

Have fun in Asdaa resort.

This big park is located just west of Khan Yunis, on the land where the Israeli settlement of Gush Katif used to be till 2005.

Take a dose of adrenaline on locally constructed rides and the panoramic wheel, splash in the water park, visit “Palestine in Miniature” and the zoo.

The latter risks to become a truly traumatic experience because poor animals and birds are kept in small and dirty cages.

Explore the ruins of Gaza international airport.

A symbol of hope and a better future upon its opening in 1998, the airport was almost completely destroyed by Israeli aviation 2-3 years later and has never been operational ever since.

You will need prior coordination with the Ministry of Interior to access this area, which is close to the Israeli and Egyptian borders.

You will not be allowed to take pictures. To reach the airport, go east of Rafah through Al-Bayuk village.

There’re several other places around Rafah which could be interesting to see, like the archeological area of Tell Rafah and the so-called Swedish village located on the coast some 50 meters from the border with Egypt. But I didn’t get the chance to go there.

Rafah itself has not much to show you, apart from the central square – Sahat Al-Nejma . It’s a roundabout with an “arch of triumph”, a Qassam rocket and a banner with pictures of local martyrs. On the other side of the street is Louvre Café on the top floor of the glass building.

❗ More information for visiting the Gaza Strip

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

Don’t forget to check our travel guide to Palestine .

As well as all our Palestine articles:

• Travel Guide to Hebron
• A Guide to Kuffiya Factory in Hebron
• Palestinian Refugee Camp in Bethlehem
• Things to know about Palestine

@log_nick is a fellow traveler who loves to explore off the beaten track countries and had the opportunity to spend a fair amount of time traveling in the Gaza Strip. You can follow his trips on Instagram

36 comments

Hi, Thank you for this very rare insight into Gazan life! Can I ask how you got a permit to enter? I assume you got it for being a journalist, yet I can’t see the Israeli authorities getting all excited about a travel piece on Gaza so I am curious how you managed it.

Hi Maria, I got a special work visa that allowed entry / exit through the Erez crossing. Obviosly, I didn’t go there for tourism or journalism, but during weekends and days-off I took the opportunity to explore the Strip. I don’t see why Israel should be unhappy about this article. It’s just facts and personal impressions of my stay in Gaza 😉

How does one get a journalist visa? I am an independent/freelance filmmaker and would like to make a small documentary about life there (showing the misconceptions of the West)

Hello, Thank you for you advice. I have a question regarding the travel insurance. I am a Belgian citizen and Gaza is listed as a “strongly discouraged area” to travel to, by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. For that reasons many insurance companies refuse to cover my travel, or it is a business trip that I need to do. What did you do to be covered by an insurance? Thank you a lot for your answers. Camille

Hi Camille, honestly I didn’t face the problem of insurance because I was covered by my employer. But I guess it can be the same insurance as for other “specific” countries, like Iran or Syria, but I’m not sure.

Where exactely in Israel did you obtain visa to Ghaza? Police station?

Normally, COGAT is responsible for the permits, but from abroad you should do it through the embassy.

could you give an example of humanitarian ong

examples of humanitarian NGOs in the Gaza Strip

Is it possible to get through erez crossing as a tourist, Im british btw

I am an American citizen born and raised in the Gaza Strip and I would like to go and visit family half of them in the Gaza Strip and the other half in Israel how can I get a permit to enter to the Gaza Strip from Israel any information will help. the way you described the people and the life in Gaza Strip Is the normal Thing for us as a Palestinian. thank you for your honesty and the rare posting

This is very well written and easy to follow and covers virtually all of Palestine. I sort of comments on here stating that Israel had complained about it, I don’t see how they can possibly complain about it at all as it has been not just let off lightly, and even but been given land which is not theirs. Primarily as within the former part of this essay description – there are more places which stste State they are in Israel when they which are actually Palestine, and mentions “conflict“ rather than a brief description of the True reasons for this disruption – if he is well government, I’m going to be making prawn and sweetcorn confirmed as the biggest terrorist organisation on the planet now and for many decades. Israel are causing a ginormous genocidal WAR conflict via their continual murdering of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and theft of Palestinian land, the Palestinians are obviously retaliating just like any British person would if 10 people moved into their garden to live there, with ammunition, destroying their garden and taking their house to peices having just flattened their children’s school with bombs whilst over children still inside it. Just one single example.

Having spent 16 wonderful months in Gaza, I can vouch for the accuracy of your wonderful guide. It is extraordinarily difficult to get into Gaza at this time due to Israeli and Egyptian entry restrictions (and the realities of the Coronavirus pandemic), but it will not always be so, and the effort to secure entry permits will be rewarded once you cross the border and are welcomed by the good people of Gaza. My life in Gaza was life changing in so many ways. At the moment it is impossible to enter Gaza as a tourist, but there are a number of organizations that will welcome you as a volunteer if you can spend some weeks working with them. Those organizations can help you to secure the necessary entry permits and serve as guides while you are there. My recommendation to anyone who is considering a visit as a volunteer is to connect with Palestinians in Gaza well in advance of your travels by using social media – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are great places to explore for friendship opportunities. You can meet some extraordinary people through interactions with a number of groups, including the young writers of We Are Not Numbers, for example. And, if you have a serious interest in spending some weeks in Gaza, I would be pleased to offer any guidance to you that may be helpful in planning your visit.

hi, seen your atricle, is it still possible to visit gaza ? please let me know i have no family there and am not journalist, or NGO. WOULD it be possible?

All I can do just patiently wait all I can do is just patiently wait until things change I waited for 25 years I can wait some more thank you for your comment I wish anybody can help but I guess there’s no help I guess I have to wait wait wait and wait some more

Hi Denny, I have a genuine interest in visiting here, it looks like a beautiful and fascinating place. Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Hi denny, I have made contact with a small charity of which I working with but the orgainiser will not let me use his name or organisation for fear of retribution from the Israeli military. Not that we are doing anything wrong by helping homeless children. Could you please give a list of organisations that would be happy for me to volunteer? I am a community artist and I would love to volunteer in order to be able to work and live in Gaza for a time.

I want to go to Gaza for relief work and I am read to work with any organisation of there , but I am so confused about getting Permit for entry. Please help me

Hi Denny, Thanks for your note. I would like to send some money to a Gaza family which has survived the latest war but who, like so many others, has been left completely destitute. Could please advise me on the most secure way to do so? Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Thank you for your informative and enjoyable article on Gaza Strip. Your article is a refreshing eye-opener. Through Facebook, I have befriended a lovely family in Rafah, and hope to travel there to attend the son’s wedding in one of the wedding halls, as soon as COVID -19 permits. I agree with you, the people are friendly and very kind. Even via cyberspace, their character shines through. Having friends there has heightened my awareness of the trauma and disorientation families experience due to the nightly Israeli post-midnight bombings. I pray the situation be solved soon, in favor of the Palestinian people.

hello I am a palestinian-american from Gaza Strip migrated to the US in 1983 pursuing higher education I have went back to Palestine in1995 I have spent the most beautiful and joyful three months of my life when I came back to the United States they have stopped me from leaving the country recently I got this restriction taken off and then David 19 hit the world I did not care about quarantine I can live with that but the sad thing is I cannot get into Gaza Strip my family are in Jerusalem Nazareth and Gaza Strip it’s not fair to visit half of the family and not the other half is there anybody can tell me how can I get into Gaza Strip from Israel

Anybody anywhere in a nationalities any politician any human thank you

and by the way I still have my mother side of the family some of them in Rapha they all doctors and Engineers we are well educated we are not dumb but we just been taking over buy denial for the right to exist

Thanks for the interesting information. You should know that when Israelis lived in villages in the Gaza strip (until the 2005 evacuation), people in Gaza enjoyed lots of job opportunities and most of them, oppressed by Hamas, would not let the Israelis leave. Also, I hope people ask themselves why does the Palestinians rely completely on Israeli currency and the Israeli economy? The answer is the their leaders never aimed at developing a successful economy, and used all the money it could to fight and terrorize Israel. Israel is trying for many years to help the Palestinians as much as they can while fight terrorism. As an Israeli I would be glad to visit Gaza, I hope the day is near…

Shlomo, my name is Paul, I welcome the opportunity of writing to you. Please consider, do you truly think that the people of Gaza could develop a buoyant economy when the Zionist state is intent on their elimination. Consider the many children in prison, with no charge, and the way they are treated, also thousands of adults also many with no charge. Consider the erratic and malicious bombing of civilian targets in Gaza, the attacks on working fishing boats, the never ending destruction of palestinian homes and businesses all over West bank and beyond, by so called (JEWISH settlers, many are not they are just opportunists from Eastern Europe looking for gold). the never ending attacks on people by the settler colonialists, backed by or condoned by the Israeli Military. Shlomo please consider the checkpoints, the walls, consider the destruction by the IOF of essential infrastructure all over Gaza and West bank, and indeed all of Palestine. When the European jews were set upon by the Hitler youth and the Nazi criminals they did not try to maintain their economies, rather they tried to survive. These people today try to survive and do do with a smile on their face while the new NAZIS make their lives a hell. Shlomo this is not the Israel of Moshe Dayan, no sir this is now a land of greed, hate and genocide backed by the very dangerous Zionist movements of USA and the world. That the people of Gaza keep smiling and surviving in spite of the consistent attacks they have had to suffer, and the thousands of small children that have been wantonly slain, is in itself a miracle.. thank you for you patience Paul OGarra PS This evil will come to an end as it did with the holocaust years.

There is no point of discussion when you base your claims on misinformation, compare us to nazis and wish for our failure. Luckily, I know better than you what happened in the holocaust (my grandparents’ family was murdered there) and what kind of people have done it (very different than us). Luckily, the Jews are not the poor people they were before 1948, and we will soon, g-d willing, get our chance to teach the world what is justice and how it is done. We are not anyone’s punching bag anymore. Not yours, not the Palestinians (who prove again and again that it’s not their land, the way they treat it or the people on it). We will keep our hand open for peace and help for anyone who accepts us, and will not hesitate to stop anyone who doesn’t.

Its unfortunate you mention the Holocaust. As the occupation of Israeli’s and their oppression of the palestinians bear striking resemblances to how the Jews were treated under the cruel regime of Nazi Germany. (ie the curfews, the changing border controls & ID without warning, the slow reduction of palestinian rights and their ability to move around their own land). There is a strong argument that the Jews learnt from their oppressors and took the systems they were persecuted under and inflicted them on another race & religion. Also every Israeli i have met has a one-sided view that they can just take more land without any consequences and a cruel disregard of the families and communities that live there.

I am a Palestinian migrated to USA in 1965 as student. I graduated from Oklahoma state with master degree in Architectural engineering. I had lost my relatives, all my age family members. I visited Israel three times thru Egypt. I was harassed by the Egyptians always they ask for money. This tome I want to go to Gaza thru Israel, I want to build my mother grave before I die. Any advise.

Hi i am Nabeel khan from India and i want to visit gaza strip through rafah crossing.please let me know the whole procedure

This is the first time that I have read such an in-depth blog on traveling to Gaza. This could be because not many choose this destination for a holiday due to civil unrest. Your courage is appreciative.

Great article, thanks! When you next update it, can you please add “Egypt” to the Background paragraph where you say…” a suffocating land, sea and air blockade imposed by Israel”. I’m living in Sinai, Egypt, and security is a huge concern here. People are quick to blame only Israel for creating security barriers to Gaza and I think it should be clear that ALL surrounding countries are concerned about terrorism.

Thanks for this great article, I am from Gaza and I am very happy that someone is visiting Gaza to convey the truth.

I am ready to help anyone who wishes to visit Gaza for free, and you are all welcome in my humble home.

So is this place still good to travel ?

Probably not, at this point of time… the borders are closed and the war is at it’s highest risk in years, IIRC.

Yes.. it is still a good place to visit regardless of the massacres that are happening there.. From the land to the sea, Palestine will be free.. I really hope everyone with good intentions to visit Palestine will get the chance to do so and meet all our beloved brothers and sisters there.. Aamiin

Until Hamas can get more than 80% of their rockets to actually leave the country and not land within Palestine, I would not recommend coming.

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Gaza City, Palestine: Top 20 Places to See

•  Al-Deira Square
•  Al-Omari Mosque
•  Al-Saha Beach
•  Al-Saha Square
•  Al-Saraya
•  Al-Shati Aquarium
•  Al-Shati Cultural Center
•  Al-Shati Library
•  Al-Shati Mosque
•  Al-Shati Museum
•  Al-Shati Park
•  Al-Shati Promenade
•  Al-Shati Refugee Camp
•  Al-Shati Theater
•  Al-Shati Zoo
•  Al-Sultan Beach

•  Al-Auja Nature Reserve
•  Al-Bireh Park
•  Al-Himma Park
•  Al-Qastal Park
•  Al-Quds Park
•  Al-Saraya Park
•  Al-Tireh Park
•  Bethlehem Park
•  Deir Ghassaneh Park
•  Deir Istiya Park
•  Deir Sharaf Park
•  Deir Sultan Park
•  Ein Al-Sultan Park
•  Ein Al-Tina Nature Reserve
•  Ein Al-Tina Park
•  Ein Al-Tinah Nature Reserve
•  Ein Al-Tinah Park
•  Ein Al-T
•  Gaza City
•  Anabta
•  Beit Jala
•  Beit Lahia
•  Bethlehem
•  Bireh
•  Dayr al-Balah
•  Deir al-Ghusun
•  Hebron
•  Jabalia
•  Jenin
•  Kafr Qasim
•  Khan Yunis
•  Nablus
•  Qalqilya
•  Rafah
•  Ramallah
•  Salfit
•  Tubas
•  Tulkarm
•  Al-Aqsa Mosque
•  Beit Sahour
•  Church of the Nativity
•  Deir al-Balah
•  Dome of the Rock
•  Gaza Beach
•  Hebron Old City
•  Jericho
•  Sea of Galilee
•  Wadi Qelt

The Gaza Strip (Arabic غزة, Ghazzah , Hebrew עזה 'Azza ) is a region of Israel in the Middle East . The largest city is Gaza .

Understand [ edit ]

Positioned within Palestine , Gaza has a reasonably modern infrastructure and architecture despite its troubles, but a UN report as early as 1952 stated that the Strip was too small to support its population of 300,000, and now there are well over 1.7 million inhabitants.

History [ edit ]

The earliest known reference to Gaza is an inscription in the Temple of Amun at Karnak, Egypt, dated 1500 BC, which states that the town of Gaza is 'flourishing'. And for a long time it did: a staging post on trade routes connecting Asia and Persia with Arabia, Egypt and Africa, even the name means "treasure" in Arabic. Abraham, the father of the Hebrew and Arab people according to the Tradition, traveled to Gerar, city in Gaza, in approximately 1760 BCE, according to Genesis 20:1. Alexander the Great laid siege to the town in 332 BC, executing 10,000 defenders after being held off for two months. Later, the town was held by the Romans, the Crusaders, the Mamluks, the Ottomans and briefly even by the French in 1799, when Napoleon Bonaparte set up camp on his way to defeat in Egypt. The Turks took it back, then lost it to the British in World War I. The Egyptian army grabbed it during the 1948 war that led to Israel's independence, opening camps for Palestinian refugees - and the current situation began when Israel occupied the Strip in 1967.

Spurred by the violence of the 1987-1993 Intifada ("Uprising"), Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization signed a "Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements" in 1993, under which the Palestinian Authority (PA) was created to govern the Gaza Strip and the West Bank for a transitional period "not exceeding five years" as a step towards full independence. Parts of the territories were indeed handed over the PA between 1994 and 1999, but the peace plans were derailed by the second intifada that broke out in September 2000, unleashing another spiral of violence.

Israel unilaterally disengaged from Gaza in 2005, evacuating all Jewish residents and withdrawing its troops from the territory. It did however retain control of the airspace and the coastline in addition to the fact the entire region is circled by a large armed security fence. Under Hamas rule, the rain of Qassam rocket fire, as well as mortars, from Gaza into southern Israel increased, and Israel responded by locking down the borders down tighter than ever and conducting raids against Arab militants.

Geography [ edit ]

The Gaza Strip is a narrow, 40-km long slice of land between the Mediterranean to the west and the Negev desert to the east. Egypt lies to the south, the north and east border Israel . The urban sprawl of Gaza City , mostly stretching along and around the 3-km long Omar al-Mukhtar Street, covers much of the north. The other main towns of Khan Yunis and Rafah are near the southern border, with most of the rest covered with agricultural land.

A bit of terminology disentanglement: Gaza Strip refers to the entire 40-by-6 kilometer patch of territory. Gaza City refers to the town itself, in the northern part of the strip, but due to huge population growth the City now sprawls into many of the surrounding villages and it's a tough task to say what is a part of the City and what isn't. Both city and strip are pretty much interchangeably referred to as Gaza and this guide will follow suit.

Climate [ edit ]

Gaza has a temperate climate with mild winters and dry, hot summers in which drought is common.

Terrain [ edit ]

Flat to rolling, sand and dune covered coastal plain. Cultivated land.

Highest point : Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Get in [ edit ]

Getting into Gaza is difficult at best, and can be impossible at times. Most would-be visitors from countries with diplomatic relations with Israel are required to apply in advance for Israeli permission to enter the Gaza Strip through the Erez crossing. The permission application is usually submitted through local Israel embassies and, in theory takes between 5-10 days. In practice, it can take months.

Another point of entry to Gaza is from Egypt through the Rafah crossing . To enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing, visitors must obtain a permit from the Egyptian government. The crossing was reopened for traffic on June 1, 2010 though some restrictions still apply. Egyptian authorities control their side of the crossing with Hamas police operating the other side. However, Palestinians are permitted to cross into Egypt visa-free (except for Palestinian men between the ages of 18 and 40). The Rafah crossing is only open about 3 days every few months, meaning that this is not a good option for foreigners.

Those entering the Gaza strip must enter and exit via the same crossing i.e. someone entering via the Erez crossing must also exit via Erez, and only Erez, whilst someone entering via the Rafah crossing must also exit via Rafah, and only Rafah. There are no exceptions to this rule, which is why is strongly advisable that all foreigners enter via the Erez crossing where possible, and only use the Rafah crossing if they absolutely have to.

By plane [ edit ]

Gaza has no functioning airport, as the former Yasser Arafat International Airport ( IATA : GZA ) has been shut down since 2000. The airport was badly damaged by multiple bombings - the most recent in 2009 - and is unlikely to reopen in the foreseeable future. The Israeli Air Force monitors Gazan airspace with radar, and regularly sends patrols of drone aircraft and fighter jets over Gaza. A surveillance balloon is also tethered at the Erez Crossing. For the time being, the closest airports is El Arish International Airport in Egypt, or Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv .

By land [ edit ]

The main point of entry is the Rafah Crossing in the South, on the border with Egypt. Egyptian authorities have built a wall on it, and the only way in is through a road called the Philadelphi Route. The route is controlled by Hamas, and the point of entry and exit is controlled by Egyptian Police. On arriving at Rafah, show your passport, the Egyptian permission letter and the Gazan-based organisation invitation letter to the guard at the gate. You will have to wait for between 10 minutes and 1 hour while they authenticate your documents. On completion, they will invite you to enter the crossing through the gates.

The second point of entry is through the Erez crossing in the north, on the border with Israel. You will need a permit from the Israeli Army, or a GPO (press) card. If you have a permit, you need coordination with the Israeli Army, specifying when you are planning to enter and leave Gaza. Journalists with a Government Press Office (GPO) card can come and go as they please. Only vehicles with prior coordination (such as a handful of UN cars) are allowed to drive in and only after a thorough search, which may take months. It's very helpful to travel with someone that's run the gauntlet before the first time via Erez.

At Erez, you have to approach the Israeli soldier in a pillbox. They may ask you to open your bags on the table, and (as at TLV) ask if you have weapons. They will check your passports and permits for allowed entry. You then wait outside an electronic gate for your turn to be called through. You then enter the terminal, hand your passport and coordination over to another soldier to receive an Israeli exit stamp. They may or may not ask you more questions -- usually things like "first time in Gaza", etc.

If everything is satisfactory, take back your documents and follow the signs directing you to Gaza. After exiting the terminal, you end up in a long barren concrete tunnel. Don't bring anything too bulky as you'll have to go through a turnstile gate. Coming through the tunnel, you cross a no-man's-land. This is at least 1000m long, and has lovely views of desolate, and presumably mined, land. Palestinians* are allowed in this area so you may be lucky and find a porter, trolley, wheelchair, or similar. Take it. If you take the tuk-tuk, keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times and enjoy the ride. After the gated tunnel you will emerge near a small hut. This is a checkpoint which can be ignored on the way to Gaza (but ignored at your peril on the way back). Since 2012, the only people here will be a few taxi drivers.

Take a taxi to the Hamas checkpoint, another 800m down the road. The going rate is ₪3 per person. You will be searched for unlawful items (make sure you are, it's the hut to the right. Also visit the hut to the left to check your Hamas credentials -- new since October 2011). Prohibited goods include alcohol, banned by the Hamas government. If you fail inspection, then at best, your items will be confiscated. Once you are through, you can take another taxi, or more likely be picked up by your local contact.

By boat [ edit ]

The port of Gaza is non-operational, and Gazan waters, seaports, and the coastline are patrolled by the Israeli Navy. If you attempt to reach the Gaza shoreline by boat, you will be stopped by Israeli naval vessels, and turned back by military force. Only boats with prior permission are allowed in. All boats coming from Gaza are only allowed to venture 2-3 nautical miles into the sea in order to enforce the Israeli naval blockade.

Get out [ edit ]

Exiting gaza via the erez crossing to israel [ edit ].

After being deposited at the Hamas checkpoint near Checkpoint Hamsa-Hamsa (or five-five in English), go to the white caravan to your right to get your exit clearance. Once through, take the taxi (₪3/person) to the forward checkpoint (where the wire fence begins). Then, go to the hut on the right. A man will take your passport and call ahead to tell the Israelis you're coming. Ignore this at your own peril.

Once you get your passport back, take the tuk-tuk if possible, or begin the 1km+ walk to Israel. When you reach the end of the tunnel, you'll see several doors. Once a handful of people have gathered, one of the doors will open (indicated by a green light on top of the door). You will then enter a hall with a table at the centre. Open your bags at the table (there are no obvious signs to do this, but look up and there's a camera. They are checking for obvious things like large bombs). When they've ensured you have no prohibited items in your bags, go through the turnstile when the light flashes green. You will not receive a verbal "OK", but rest assured you will be told if you're not ok.

You will see toilet facilities to your right. Use them. Follow the arrows to Israel. You will then encounter another hall with eight doorways. Wait until one of the lights go green then enter that doorway. Leave your bags with the porter at a large security scanner. You should remove all electronics not just laptops, but things like disk drives, mobile phones, etc) and place them in the large trays. Remove your belt, watch, etc too.

Keep your passport and ID on you and enter a series of gates as the lights flash green. When you come to the body scanner (a MMW scanner), put your feet on the markers and place your hands over your head in an "I surrender" pose. Keep your passport in your hands. If you've passed initial screening, you will be allowed out to a hall where it appears as if your bags will emerge on a conveyor belt. There may even be empty trays circling it.

Walk straight through to the departures hall, as your bag will be selected for a hand search. On your left in a row where trays with bags will gather, and you can see the guards searching your bags. Wait patiently. If you haven't passed initial screening, you'll be directed through further scanning. There is a separate section that will reveal itself to you if the guards in the gallery above find the need for a strip search. Once you collect your belongings, you will finally pass through Israeli entry, and get a new stamp in your passport. Exit from Gaza could take from 30 minutes to several hours. The checkpoint closes at 14:00, or even earlier. If you are stuck between Hamas and Israel phone your embassy for assistance.

Get around [ edit ]

There are numerous service (ser-VEESS) taxis in Gaza and several privately owned bus services. Navigation is done by landmark, not street address. Stand on the side of the road that is in the desired direction of travel. When a driver stops indicate the destination landmark e.g., "Shifa" and the number of passengers ("wahid" for one, "it-nayn" for two.) If the driver is not headed that way, he may drive on. Travel up and down Omar al-Mukhtar St. will set you back ₪1; trips elsewhere are negotiable. Near al-Shifa hospital is a line of taxis that travel to destinations beyond Gaza city. The drivers yell out their destination and wait until their vehicle is pretty much full before they leave. It is advisable to watch your step if walking, since traffic is chaotic and sidewalks are largely non-existent. Gaza "city" side walks are everywhere, its not preferred to take a public taxi, if you call a taxi office they will send you one alone, it's much safer.

Talk [ edit ]

The standard language is Arabic . English is widely understood and spoken, it’s better to not speak Hebrew so they don’t think you are an Israeli intruder.

See [ edit ]

Gaza has several historical attractions and landmarks. The following are all in Gaza City:

• Qasr al-Basha (also known as Radwan Castle and Napoleon's Fort) was formerly a large palace, and now a popular museum, situated in the Old City of Gaza. It served as a seat of power in the Mamluk and Ottoman periods and as a police station under the British Mandate. The museum's Department of Antiquities exhibits numerous notable items from their collections, including Roman, Persian, Hellenistic, Phoenician, Ancient Egyptian, and Neolithic artifacts.
• The Great Mosque ( Jamaa al-Kabir ) Gaza Great Mosque is one of the most interesting ones in the Palestinian territories, and the oldest monument in the city. It was initially an early gothic church built in the XIIth Century by the Knights Templar who then held Gaza. It was enlarged as a mosque, with a minaret added, under the Mamluks in the XIVth Century. The mosque much suffered from shelling by the British army in 1917 (the minaret was destroyed, with large parts of the gothic crusader structures) and was restored under the British Mandate.
• The Church of Saint Porphyrius is an Orthodox Christian church of Gaza, and the oldest active church in the city. Located in the Zaytun Quarter of the Old City, it is named after the 5th century bishop of Gaza, Saint Porphyrius, whose tomb is situated in the northeastern corner of the church. The church itself was probably built in the XIIth Century, when Gaza was a Christian city guarded by the Knights Templar.
• The Funduk Al-Mathaf ( Museum Hotel ) is another museum in Gaza, located inside a seafront hotel, which holds over 350 antiquities discovered in the Gaza Strip from various historical periods. It contains a restaurant, hotel, and conference center.
• Hamam al-Sammara .is one of the active saunas in Gaza. Different hours for men and women, excellent service and a proper scrub down. Between Palestine Square and the Saladin Road.
• The Gold Market ( Qissariya Market ) is a historical passageway located in the old quarter of Gaza; it is both a center for trading and buying gold, and location for foreign exchange.
• The Gaza Baptist Church is a modern Baptist church in Gaza. The church is the only Evangelical church in Gaza. The church opened Gaza's first public Christian library in 2006.
• More educational might be a UNRWA-arranged visit to one of the refugee camps that dot the strip. The UNRWA office is on al-Azhar St, near the Islamic University, call ahead to see if they can arrange a little tour. Your most probable destination is the optimistically named Beach Camp , a warren of concrete huts and open sewers housing 63,000 people, built next to a sandy beach - and you can walk there on your own, 15 minutes to the north from the intersection of Omar al-Mukhtar St. with the seafront road. UNRWA wisely recommends avoiding military clothing. The Jabaliya refugee camp is also a nearby option.

Do [ edit ]

• Sharm Park 20 minutes from Gaza City
• Master Movies has the most modern movies
• Mega Store has blockbuster American movies and the latest video games

Buy [ edit ]

Gazans use the Israeli shekel (₪) Please note the policemen at the Hamas checkpoint into Gaza are now opening all bags and disposing of alcohol (since early 2009). Do not bring alcohol into Gaza, it could land you into trouble.

• Gaza Mall , [x] . The Gaza Mall is comparable to most Western-style malls only in structure and comfort, but not even remotely in size. You will usually find it packed to the brim with residents of Rimal in the summer escaping the midday heat and may quickly find you want to escape elsewhere.
• Interesting sculptures / lampshades fashioned from old cigarette cartons.
• Foustouk and simsimiya. The former is a sticky peanuty snack. The latter is its sesame cousin.
• The Gold Market (Qissariya Market) is a historical passageway located in the old quarter of Gaza; it is both a center for trading and buying gold, and location for foreign exchange. There are many gold and jewelry shops in the Gold Market , in addition to foreign exchange shops.
• you can visit "al foorosiya al faisal" horse back riding and tennis
• "French cultural centre"

Eat [ edit ]

Popular Arab fast food like falafel and kebabs are available everywhere in Gaza. Head to the posh suburb of Rimal for fancier food; the restaurant in the Windmill Hotel is nice. Also keep in mind that if you wish to bring in any food products, you should first check which products are allowed in Gaza under local custom laws. If you are caught with prohibited food, it might lead to trouble with the authorities. Finally, it is not unheard of to be invited over for dinner.

• Delice Café , Sheikh Izz ed-Din-el-Qassam St Rimal ( in the heart of Gaza City ), ☎ +972 2888467 / 2882518 ( [email protected] , fax : +972 0599466665 ), [x] . Delice is one of the most famous pastries and restaurants in Gaza Strip. The restaurant offers appetizers, a main course and desserts. The cuisine served ranges from Mediterranean to Chinese. The restaurant also notably serves several popular types of coffee, sweet pastry and international sweet dishes and desserts such as cakes, cupcakes and muffins.
• Aldeira Restaurant . On the seaside terrace, this restaurant serves lovely mezes (small Mediterranean-style dishes), including the Gazan speciality Daqqa (a sometimes very spicy chili salad, very nice). They also have delicious main courses: such as shrimps in tomato sauce, baked in the oven, and served in a clay pot. In addition, the restaurant is popular for serving fresh strawberry juice enhanced with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.
• Al Salam Restaurant , El Mina Square Gaza Beach ( in Gaza Beach ), ☎ +972 082833188 ( [email protected] & [email protected] , fax : +972 0599466665 ), [x] . A well-known seafood restaurant in the Gaza Strip. The restaurant also serves a wide range of non-seafood meals such as chicken sandwiches and local Palestinian cuisine.
• Roots Club , Cairo St, Remal ( in the heart of Gaza City ), ☎ +972 8 2888666 ( [email protected] , fax : +972 8 2888999 ), [x] . Fine dining. Offers both high end Arabian/Mediterranean cuisine and cheaper fast food at the Big Bite annex. The restaurant frequently caters for special events, including foreign dignitaries and heads of non-governmental organizations.
• Arafat Sweets , Al-Wehda Street, North Remal , ( [email protected] ), [x] . One of Gaza's most well-known sweet shops, sells common Arab sweet products.
• Seafood Restaurant , ( Just north of al-Deira hotel ). Popular seafood restaurant.
• Al Mat'haf Resort , ( Soudnya beach ), ☎ 0097082858444 , [x] . On a small hill overlooking the sea in Gaza stands “Al-Mathaf” (arabic for “The Museum”, pronounced Al-Mat-Haf), a one-of-a-kind recreation and cultural center that showcases Gaza’s rich historical past and seamlessly blends it into the context of life in modern Gaza. As it’s name suggests, Al-Mathaf is home to Gaza’s finest archaeological museum, which is filled with beautiful artifacts that celebrate Gaza’s rich cultural heritage. Along-side these historical treasures of ancient civilizations, today’s Gazans gathers at Al-Mathaf’s beautiful Restaurant-Café, a center of modern culture and recreation in Gaza. In a time when many in Gaza have forgotten our heritage, Al-Mathaf aims to preserve the regions rich history, provide a venue for modern cultural dialogue, and carry a message for this generation to build a brighter future.
• Matouk , ( Behind the legislative council building ). Serves an excellent chicken tawwouk.
• Pizza Inn , ( City centre ). A popular pizza eatery which serves pizza, pasta and other Italian food.
• Loveboat Restaurant , ( Gaza Beach ). A sea-front restaurant which serves all types of food, including local seafood.
• al andalusiya mall isn't that bad you will find a super market and two floors of clothing
• if you to Gaza, you must try eating kunafa but from "abo el sood" ask anyone they will give you the directions, beside it is a souvenir shop.
• mazaj , nasser st . visit http://mazaji.ps/ every day with our freshly baked croissant and a special cup of your favorite coffee drink. Pick up a selection of French pastries, treat your loved ones to the best birthday cake they’ve ever had , or grab a tub of Italian gelato, to fresh up a hot summer afternoon. All these sweets and much more in our Express shops, we look forward to seeing you soon! Special orders, please call the nearest branch.

Drink [ edit ]

Due to the current Hamas rule over Gaza, alcohol is no longer available, and is now illegal to possess in Gaza. The last place for a visitor to drink was the UN Club. If you are caught with booze by Hamas authorities, it will be confiscated if you're lucky, at the very worst you might face the death penalty or summary execution. Do not even consider smuggling alcohol into Gaza, if you're dependent on it then do not travel to Gaza under any circumstances, period.

Sleep [ edit ]

There are many hotels in Gaza. It is also possible to stay with locals who might even invite you over for a night.

• ArchMed Hotel (Movenpick) , [x] . One of the best hotels in Gaza city.
• Aldeira Hotel , Al Rasheed Street , ☎ +972 8 283 8100 ( [email protected] , fax : +972 8 283 8400 ), [x] . The height of Gazan luxury. Featuring massive rooms with a view of the sea, a pleasant (though by Gaza's standards not superb) restaurant (with Shisha pipes, although not allowed in the fine Oriental bedrooms) this is as good it gets. The minibar is non-alcoholic. Aldeira will supply a hairdryer, towels, soap, shampoo and conditioner, and a little plate of cookies. Don't be alarmed that the water tastes salty. The Deira has a back-up generator in the event of power outages, a business center and WiFi. Breakfast is complimentary. Most international journalists and NGOs stay at the Deira. $125-185USD/night .
• Commodore Hotel . Has a sauna, jacuzzi, massage, multiple restaurants, 24-hour room service, a swimming pool, and reportedly Kosher food.
• Grand Palace Hotel , Al Rasheed Street , ☎ +970 8 2849498 ( [email protected] , fax : +970 8 2849497 ), [x] . One of the best hotels in Gaza city. Built to exceed customers expectation as it is located at the beach side of Gaza city with the direct beach view, the hotel welcomes its guests. The distance between the hotel and the city center is approximately 3 km in a quiet peaceful area, where the reach to the city center is easy, while nothing is better than a 5 minute walk to the Mediterranean. Grand Palace Hotel Offers accomodation, conference, food and beverage facilities.
• Marna House . Gaza's oldest hotel, run by a friendly family.
• Al Mat'haf Hotel , [email protected] ( Soudunya beach ), ☎ 0097082858444 , [x] . As a second phase, Al-Mathaf is just completed the construction of a boutique hotel, which will feature traditionally designed rooms with a sea view, as well as multi-purpose halls and facilities to provide business services, as well as health, fitness, and spa facilitie

Work [ edit ]

Realistically, if you are not either an aid worker, journalist or diplomat, there is no work for you in Gaza. There are a number of NGOs offering internships, however, such as the Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights in Gaza, the Palestinian Center For Human Rights and others.

Stay safe [ edit ]

The Gaza Strip was recently subject to Israeli military operations (which have previously included aerial and naval bombardment as well as ground incursions), as well as armed confrontations between the Hamas authorities and Fatah factions. Whilst the situation has now calmed down, it could very easily flare up again, without warning. Think twice about whether you really must travel to Gaza. While Hamas has managed to curb crime levels in Gaza, some members have been known to beat journalists attempting to cover demonstrations against Hamas. In general, use common sense and avoid these kinds of situations. Consult your embassy for advice and the current conditions before setting out. Unlike the West Bank travel documentation does not need to be kept at hand at all times.

It's also worth bearing in mind that Gaza's power station and its substation have been severely damaged by Israeli airstrikes and no longer function at the intended capacity. Power outages are very common since the European Commission handed over control of the fuel obtainment to the Palestinian Authority in 2009 as Hamas has so far failed to pay 20% of the fuel costs. Currently, these outages are countered by large industrial and small commercial diesel generators which combine to create a cacophony that the locals have somehow become desensitised to. Some of these generators are poorly maintained and leak carbon monoxide. Visitors should be wary of this, particularly in enclosed spaces where it has proven fatal.

See also War zone safety .

Much of the underground water aquifer in the Gaza Strip has been contaminated by waste and sea water leaking into the water system. As such, tap water is generally not safe to drink. Travelers are advised to purchase bottled water whenever possible.

Respect [ edit ]

Women should dress modestly, especially if entering refugee camps. Men and women are obliged to dress appropriately at religious sites such as mosques and churches. Respect local customs and behave appropriately in front of authority figures in Gaza.

Contact [ edit ]

WikiPedia:Gaza Strip World66:asia/middleeast/Israel/gazastrip

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• 1.1 History
• 1.2 Geography
• 1.3 Climate
• 1.4 Terrain
• 2.1 By plane
• 2.2 Entry by land
• 2.3 Exit by land
• 2.4 By boat
• 3 Get around
• 12 Stay safe
• 13 Stay healthy

The Gaza Strip (Arabic غزة, Ghazzah , Hebrew עזה Azza ) is a Palestinian territory in the Middle East . The capital and largest city is Gaza. Portions of this page may be out of date because the situation on the ground changes quickly.

Understand [ edit ]

Positioned between Israel and Egypt , Gaza Strip contains several towns and cities that have grown together. The capital and largest city is Gaza , with Khan Yunis and Rafah being the second and third largest. Several smaller villages are nestled between these cities. It does have reasonably modern infrastructure and architecture despite its troubles, but a UN report as early as 1952 stated that the Strip was too small to support its population of 300,000, and now there are well over 1.7 million inhabitants. On 7 October 2023, the Israel-Hamas War broke out, and thousands of people have been killed.

Most inhabitants are descendants of Palestinian refugees who fled or were expelled from their homes in Israel during or after the 1948 war and were not allowed to return to their homes and villages. As they were not Egyptian citizens they were not allowed into Egypt, either.

History [ edit ]

Gaza has been around for a while: the earliest known reference is an inscription in the Temple of Amun at Karnak, Egypt, dated 1500 BC, which states that the town of Gaza is 'flourishing'. And for a long time it did: a staging post on trade routes connecting Asia and Persia with Arabia, Egypt and Africa, even the name means "treasure" in Arabic. Alexander the Great laid siege to the town in 332 BC, executing 10,000 defenders after being held off for two months. Later, the town was held by the Romans, the Crusaders, the Mamluks, the Ottomans and briefly even by the French in 1799, when Napoleon Bonaparte set up camp on his way to defeat in Egypt. The Turks took it back, then lost it to the British in World War I. The Egyptian army grabbed it during the 1948 war that led to Israel's independence, opening camps for Palestinian refugees who were expelled from their homes by the Israeli army — and the current situation began when Israel occupied the Strip in 1967.

Spurred by the violence of the 1987–1993 Intifada ("Uprising"), Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization signed a "Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements" in 1993, under which the Palestinian Authority (PA) was created to govern the Gaza Strip and the West Bank for a transitional period "not exceeding five years" as a step towards full independence. Parts of the territories were indeed handed over to the PA between 1994 and 1999, but the peace plans were derailed by the second intifada that broke out in September 2000, unleashing another spiral of violence.

Israel unilaterally disengaged from Gaza in 2005, evacuating Jewish settlements and withdrawing its troops from the territory. It did however retain control of the airspace and the coastline in addition to the fact the entire region is circled by a large armed security fence. The Islamist Hamas won elections in 2006 and violently kicked out the remnants of the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Under Hamas rule, there have been repeated incidents of missile launches from Gaza into Israel and Israeli targeted assassinations of terrorists in Gaza, bombings, and incursions or invasions of Gaza. Israel has also heavily restricted the movement of trade, aid, and people between Gaza and Israel in response to attacks on border crossing points and the Hamas government's non-recognition of Israel. Relations between Hamas and the Egyptian government have also been tense at times, with the Egyptian government sometimes blaming Hamas for attacks on Egyptian security forces and civilians in the Sinai but also condemning Israeli actions against Gaza. From December 2008 to January 2009, Israel launched a massive coordinated air, naval, and land offensive against the Hamas government and allied militant organizations. Hostilities resumed in 2012, but a short-lived ceasefire was restored with the help of Egyptian mediation.

In 2024, Israel is at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It's very unlikely that you will be able to get into Gaza unless you are an accredited journalist, or UN or charity worker, and you will have performed in-depth risk assessments. Do not rely on a travel guide for your risk assessment. Civilian infrastructure has been hit very hard, and your presence in the strip will divert resources from the needy.

Geography [ edit ]

The Gaza Strip is a narrow, 40-km long slice of land between the Mediterranean to the west and the Negev desert to the east. Egypt lies to the south, the north and east border Israel . The urban sprawl of Gaza City, mostly stretching along and around the 3-km long Omar al-Mukhtar Street, covers much of the north. The other main towns of Khan Yunis and Rafah are near the southern border, with most of the rest covered with agricultural land.

A bit of terminology disentanglement: Gaza Strip refers to the entire 40km by 6km patch of territory. The strip is slightly smaller than Barbados and slightly larger than Malta . Gaza City refers to the town itself, in the northern part of the strip, but due to huge population growth the City now sprawls into many of the surrounding villages and it's a tough task to say what is a part of the City and what isn't. Both city and strip are pretty much interchangeably referred to as Gaza and this guide will follow suit.

Climate [ edit ]

Temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers.

Terrain [ edit ]

Flat to rolling, sand and dune covered coastal plain. Cultivated land.

Highest point : Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m (344 ft)

Get in [ edit ]

Getting into Gaza is both difficult and unwise . As of around 2003, all would-be visitors were required to apply in advance for Israeli permission to enter the Strip. The application is usually submitted through your embassy in Israel and, in theory takes between 5–10 days. In practice, it can take months, and if you're not either a fully accredited journalist or an aid/human rights worker, you're unlikely to get permission to enter Gaza from Israel.

It is possible to enter Gaza from Egypt through the Rafah crossing. The crossing was reopened for traffic on 1 June 2010 though some restrictions still apply and only large groups on NGO sponsored trips will be admitted. Egyptian authorities control only their side of the crossing with Hamas police operating the other side. However, Palestinians (except for men between 18 and 40) are permitted to cross into Egypt visa-free. Reports exist of Egypt authorities asking for bribes of up to US$5,000 to allow people, including Palestinians, out of Gaza.

By plane [ edit ]

Gaza has no functioning airport, as the former Yasser Arafat International Airport ( GZA  IATA ) has been shut down since 2000. The airport was badly damaged by Israeli bombing attacks, and the runway was destroyed by Israeli bulldozers on 2002. It is unlikely to reopen in the foreseeable future. The Israeli Air Force monitors Gazan airspace with radar, and regularly sends patrols of drone aircraft and fighter jets over Gaza. A surveillance balloon is also tethered at the Erez Crossing. For the time being, the closest airports are El Arish International Airport in Egypt (which has no commercial flights) and Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv ( TLV  IATA ). The closest non-Israeli commercial airports are Jordan's Queen Alia International Airport ( AMM  IATA ) and King Hussein International Airport ( AQJ  IATA ), while the closest Egyptian-controlled airport with non-charter commercial service is Cairo International Airport ( CAI  IATA ). Taba International Airport ( TCP  IATA ) is closer than Cairo, but only charter flights fly there.

Entry by land [ edit ]

The main point of entry is through the Erez crossing in the north, on the border with Israel. Getting to Erez is easiest done by taxi, it's also possible to travel by Dan BaDarom [dead link] bus #20 from Ashkelon to the checkpoint.

You will need a permit from the Israeli Army, or a GPO (press) card. If you have a permit, you need coordination with the Israeli Army, specifying when you are planning to enter and leave Gaza. Journalists with a Government Press Office (GPO) card can come and go as they please. Only vehicles with prior coordination (such as a handful of UN cars) are allowed to drive in and only after a thorough search, which may take months. It's very helpful to travel with someone that's run the gauntlet before the first time via Erez.

At Erez, you have to approach the Israeli soldier in a pillbox. They may ask you to open your bags on the table, and (as at TLV) ask if you have weapons. They'll check your passports and permits for allowed entry. You then wait outside an electronic gate for your turn to be called through. You then enter the terminal, hand your passport and coordination over to another soldier to receive an Israeli exit stamp. That soldier may or may not ask you more questions, usually things like whether it's your first time in Gaza, etc.

If everything is satisfactory, take back your documents and follow the signs directing you to Gaza. After exiting the terminal, you end up in a long barren concrete tunnel. Don't bring anything too bulky as you'll have to go through a turnstile gate. Coming through the tunnel, you cross a no-man's-land. This is at least 1000m long. Palestinians are allowed in this area so you may be lucky and find a porter, trolley, wheelchair, or similar. Take it. If you take the tuk-tuk, keep your hands inside the vehicle at all times and enjoy the ride.

After the gated tunnel you will emerge near a small hut. This is a checkpoint which can be ignored on the way to Gaza (but ignored at your peril on the way back). Since 2012, the only people here will be a few taxi drivers.

Take a taxi to the Palestinian checkpoint, another 800m down the road. The going rate is ₪3 per person. You will be searched for unlawful items (make sure you are, it's the hut to the right. Also visit the hut to the left to check your Hamas credentials)

Prohibited goods include alcohol and non-halal food, banned by the Hamas government. If you fail inspection, then at best, your items will be confiscated. At worst, you will be arrested; you are unlikely to see any guns at this point. In a particularly bad situation, retreat to Israel.

Once you are through, you can take another taxi, or more likely be picked up by your local contact.

Another way in is through the Rafah Crossing in the South, on the border with Egypt. Egyptian authorities have built a wall on it, and the only way in is through a road called the Philadelphi Route. The route is controlled by Hamas, and the point of entry and exit is controlled by Egyptian Police. You will need to bring a passport with you, as the Egyptian authorities generally do not let anyone out of the Strip into Egypt, and even getting in may pose a challenge. You may also be stopped by Hamas patrols once you enter.

Exit by land [ edit ]

Entry, though difficult, pales in comparison to exit. After being deposited at the Hamas checkpoint near Hamsa Hamsa, go to the white caravan to your right to get your exit clearance.

Once through, take the taxi (₪3/person) to the forward checkpoint (where the wire fence begins). Then, go to the hut on the right. A man will take your passport and call ahead to tell the Israelis you're coming. Ignore this at your own peril.

Once you get your passport back, take the tuk-tuk if possible, or begin the 1 km+ walk to Israel.

When you reach the end of the tunnel, you'll see several doors. Once a handful of people have gathered, one of the doors will open (indicated by a green light on top of the door).

You will then enter a hall with a table at the centre. Open your bags at the table (there are no obvious signs to do this, but look up and there's a camera. They are checking for obvious things like large bombs)

When they've ensured you have no prohibited items in your bags, go through the turnstile when the light flashes green. You will not receive a verbal "OK", but rest assured you will be shouted at in Hebrew if you're not ok.

You will see toilet facilities to your right. Use them. Follow the arrows to Israel. You will then encounter another hall with eight doorways. Wait until one of the lights go green then enter that doorway. Leave your bags with the porter at a large security scanner. You should remove all electronics not just laptops, but things like disk drives, mobile phones, etc.) and place them in the large trays. Remove your belt, watch, etc. too.

Keep your passport and ID on you and enter a series of gates as the lights flash green. When you come to the body scanner (a MMW scanner), put your feet on the markers and place your hands over your head in an "I surrender" pose. Keep your passport in your hands. If you've passed initial screening, you will be allowed out to a hall where it appears as if your bags will emerge on a conveyor belt. There may even be empty trays circling it.

Walk straight through to the departures hall, as your bag will be selected for a hand search. On your left in a row where trays with bags will gather, and you can see the guards searching your bags. Wait patiently. If you haven't passed initial screening, you'll be directed through further scanning. There is a separate section that will reveal itself to you if the guards in the gallery above find the need for a strip search.

Once you collect your belongings, you will finally pass through Israeli entry, and get a new stamp in your passport. You're then free and in Israel. Count yourself lucky you own a western passport.

Exit from Gaza could take from 30 minutes to several hours. The checkpoint closes at 14:00, or even earlier. If you are stuck between Hamas and Israel phone your embassy for assistance, but don't try to re-enter Gaza. If you're using Erez you're probably "western", and you're safer in Israeli hands.

By boat [ edit ]

The port of Gaza is non-operational, and Gazan waters, seaports, and the coastline are patrolled by the Israeli Navy. If you attempt to reach the Gaza shoreline by boat, you will be stopped by Israeli naval vessels, and turned back. Only boats with prior permission are allowed in. All boats coming from Gaza are allowed to venture six nautical miles into the sea. Any vessel crossing this line is fired on. In 2010 a six-ship flotilla attempted to reach Gaza by sea, and was intercepted by Israeli warships; ten people were killed by Israeli forces and the ships never reached Gaza. It is strongly recommended not to attempt to visit Gaza in this manner.

Get around [ edit ]

There is no public transport in Gaza, but there are numerous service (ser-VEESS) taxis. Navigation is done by landmark, not street address. Stand on the side of the road that is in the desired direction of travel. When a driver stops indicate the destination landmark e.g., "Shifa" and the number of passengers ("wahid" for one, "it-nayn" for two.) If the driver is not headed that way, he may drive on. Travel up and down Omar al-Mukhtar St. will set you back ₪1; trips elsewhere are negotiable. Near al-Shifa hospital is a line of taxis that travel to destinations beyond Gaza city. The drivers yell out their destination and wait until their vehicle is pretty much full before they leave. It is advisable to watch your step if walking, since traffic is chaotic and sidewalks are largely non-existent.

Talk [ edit ]

The standard language is Arabic . Hebrew is also understood to some extent, but given the dislike towards Israelis by many Palestinians, English is a safer option.

See [ edit ]

Gaza is not exactly a top tourist destination and most of its attractions have taken quite a beating during the past 50 years.

• 31.3685 34.3418 11 Al-Qarara Cultural Museum ( متحف القرارة الثقافي ) ( In Khan Yunis ). ( updated Aug 2023 )
• More educational might be a UNRWA-arranged visit to one of the refugee camps that dot the strip. The UNRWA office is on al-Azhar St, near the Islamic University, call ahead to see if they can arrange a little tour. Your most probable destination is the optimistically named Beach Camp , a warren of concrete huts and open sewers housing 63,000 people, built next to a sandy beach - and you can walk there on your own, 15 minutes to the north from the intersection of Omar al-Mukhtar St. with the seafront road. UNRWA wisely recommends avoiding military clothing. The Jabaliya refugee camp is also a nearby option. Women visiting the camps should dress more conservatively than they need to in Gaza City - headscarves are certainly recommended.

Do [ edit ]

There's very little to do in Gaza for the average tourist. There is a beach, however the water isn't the cleanest in the area, you'd be better off on a beach further north in Israel. There are nice sunsets though over the Med, which can be seen from hotels like the Al Deira.

Buy [ edit ]

Despite the intense conflict and rhetoric, Gazans use the Israeli shekel (₪). But bring some boxes of cigarettes into the Strip and everyone will be your friend. However, please note the policemen at the Hamas checkpoint into Gaza are now opening all bags and disposing of any alcohol (since early 2009). Do not bring alcohol into Gaza, it could land you into serious trouble and it is always good to respect local Islamic customs.

• PLO Flag Shop . A bit tough to find (ask around) but unmistakable once you spot it. It's the place to buy Palestinian flags, stickers, badges, and pennants. ( updated May 2020 )
• Interesting sculptures / lampshades fashioned from old cigarette cartons.
• Foustouk and simsimiya. The former is a sticky peanuty snack. The latter is its sesame cousin. An elderly man in Gaza City with a grey tweed jacket crops up on a different street corner when he has a fresh batch.

Eat [ edit ]

Usual Arabic cheap eats are available anywhere. Head to the posh suburb of Rimal for fancier food; the restaurant in the Windmill Hotel is nice. If you wish to bring in any food, you should first check which foods are and are not acceptable under Islamic law. If you are caught with forbidden food, it may lead to trouble with the authorities or the local population. Finally, it is not unheard of to be invited over for dinner.

• Abu Hassera . Fish specialist.  
• Aldeira Restaurant . On the seaside terrace, this restaurant serves lovely mezes (small Mediterranean-style dishes), including the Gazan speciality Daqqa (a sometimes very spicy chili salad, very nice). They also have some tasty main courses: try the shrimps in tomato sauce, baked in the oven, and served in a clay pot. And don't miss out on the fresh strawberry juice! Enhanced with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, it is highly enjoyable.  
• Matouk ( behind the legislative council building ). Serves an excellent chicken tawwouk.  
• 31.516626 34.449977 1 [dead link] Roots Club , Cairo St, Remal ( in the heart of Gaza City ), ☏ +972 8 2888666 , fax : +972 8 2888999 , [email protected] . Fine dining. Offers both high end Arabian/Mediterranean cuisine and cheaper fast food at the Big Bite annex. The restaurant frequently caters for special events, including foreign dignitaries and heads of non-governmental organizations.  
• Seafood Restaurant ( just north of al-Deira hotel ). Very good seafood restaurant.  
• Al Mat'haf Resort ( Soudnya beach ), ☏ +970 8 2858444 . On a small hill overlooking the sea in Gaza stands “Al-Mathaf” (Arabic for “The Museum”, pronounced Al-Mat-Haf), a one-of-a-kind recreation and cultural center that showcases Gaza’s rich historical past and seamlessly blends it into the context of life in modern Gaza. As its name suggests, Al-Mathaf is home to Gaza’s finest archaeological museum, which is filled with beautiful artifacts that celebrate Gaza’s rich cultural heritage. Alongside these historical treasures of ancient civilizations, today’s Gazans gathers at Al-Mathaf’s beautiful Restaurant-Café, a center of modern culture and recreation in Gaza. In a time when many in Gaza have forgotten our heritage, Al-Mathaf aims to preserve the region's rich history, provide a venue for modern cultural dialogue, and carry a message for this generation to build a brighter future.  

Drink [ edit ]

Due to increasingly strong Hamas influences, alcohol is no longer available. Alcohol is forbidden in their interpretation of Islam, and Hamas, as a conservative Islamic group, prohibits it. If you do manage to find some, you should not attempt to go out under the influence; you may land in a very bad situation. If you are caught with booze on your person by Hamas authorities, it will probably be confiscated, and you may be detained. Bags are given a quick search on entry to Gaza.

Sleep [ edit ]

There are several hotels in Gaza. However, it is also possible to stay with locals who might even invite you over for a night.

• Commodore Hotel . Has a sauna, jacuzzi, massage, multiple restaurants, 24-hour room service, a swimming pool, and reportedly Kosher food.  
• Grand Palace Hotel , Al Rasheed Street , ☏ +970 8 2849498 , fax : +970 8 2849497 , [email protected] . At the beach side of Gaza city, 3km from city centre, direct beach view, conference, food and beverage facilities.  
• Marna House . Gaza's oldest hotel, run by a friendly family.  
• 31.547639 34.456877 2 Al Mat'haf Hotel , [email protected] ( Soudunya beach ), ☏ +970 8 2858444 . As a second phase, Al-Mathaf is just completed the construction of a boutique hotel, which will feature traditionally designed rooms with a sea view, as well as multi-purpose halls and facilities to provide business services, as well as health, fitness, and spa facilities. ( updated Jul 2017 )
• 31.5798 34.482 3 Grand Chalet ( جراند شاليه ), +970 566 400 040 . Luxury lodging by the sea. ( updated Dec 2021 )

Work [ edit ]

Realistically, if you are not already an aid worker, journalist or diplomat, there is no work for you in Gaza . There are a number of NGOs offering internships, such as the Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights in Gaza, the Palestinian Center For Human Rights and others, but these must be arranged well before you get to Gaza.

Stay safe [ edit ]

The Gaza Strip is occasionally subject to Israeli military operations (which include aerial and naval bombardment as well as ground incursions) as well as armed confrontations between the Hamas authorities and Fatah factions. While Hamas has managed to curb crime levels in Gaza, some members have been known to beat journalists attempting to cover demonstrations against Hamas. In general, use common sense and avoid these kinds of situations. Consult your embassy for advice and current conditions before setting out. Unlike the West Bank travel documentation does not need to be kept at hand at all times.

Gaza's power station and its substation have been severely damaged by Israeli airstrikes and no longer function at the intended capacity. Power outages are very common since the European Commission handed over control of the fuel obtainment to the Palestinian Authority in 2009 as Hamas has so far failed to pay 20% of the fuel costs. These outages are countered by large industrial and small commercial diesel generators which combine to create a cacophony that the locals have somehow become desensitised to. Some of these generators are poorly maintained and leak carbon monoxide. Visitors should be wary of this, particularly in enclosed spaces where it has proven fatal.

Stay healthy [ edit ]

Tap water in Gaza is not potable and is often dangerously dirty. Some hotels may use filters, but if in doubt, just buy bottles.

Israel has blockaded the area since 2007. However, food and medical supplies are generally allowed in after inspection. Any medical requirements should be taken care of in Israel or elsewhere. Anyone visiting Gaza is well advised to have a good grounding in first aid and bring in their own first aid kits. Beware that medical evacuations to Israel can require a long wait at the border.

Diseases such as yellow fever, malaria and West Nile virus are fairly common in the Gaza Strip. Get vaccinated, wear protective clothing and use mosquito repellent.

Respect [ edit ]

Women should dress conservatively, especially if entering refugee camps. Conservatively within Gaza City means a top with long sleeves and absolutely nothing low cut in the front. Ideally, tops should also be long. Trousers are suitable as long as they are loose and full length, not capri pants.

Connect [ edit ]

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Things to Do in Gaza City, Palestinian Territories - Gaza City Attractions

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1. Great Mosque of Gaza

2. Holy Family Church

Gaza Strip explained: Who controls it and what to know

What is the Gaza Strip? 

The Gaza Strip refers to a narrow strip of land wedged between Israel and Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea that is roughly the size of Washington, D.C. Occupied in turn by the Ottoman Empire and then the British Empire, it forms the smaller of the two Palestinian territories — the other being the West Bank. 

After the creation of Israel in 1948, Egypt controlled Gaza for nearly two decades. After Israel's victory in the 1967 Six-Day War against its Arab neighbors, it gained control of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. For the next 38 years, it controlled the strip and enabled the construction of 21 Jewish settlements.

In 2005, under international and domestic pressure, Israel withdrew around 9,000 Israeli settlers and its military forces from Gaza, leaving the enclave to be governed by the Palestinian Authority, which also controlled parts of the occupied West Bank.

Today, with over 2 million Palestinians living within roughly 140 square miles, it is “one of the world’s most densely populated territories,” according to Gisha , an Israeli nongovernmental organization. Half of Palestinians living in Gaza are under age 19, but they have few to no prospects for socioeconomic growth and limited access to the outside world.

Who governs and who controls it ?

Hamas, which has clashed repeatedly with the Palestinian leaders in the West Bank who negotiated the Oslo Peace Accords, is a militant Palestinian nationalist movement currently led by Ismail Haniyeh. It took control of Gaza after it won elections there in 2006. Since then, no elections have been held.

Despite pleas from the United Nations and human rights groups, Israel has maintained a land, air and sea blockade on Gaza since 2007 that has had a devastating effect on Palestinian civilians. Israel says the blockade, which gives it control of Gaza's borders and is also enforced by Egypt, is necessary to protect Israeli citizens from Hamas.

The International Committee of the Red Cross considers the blockade illegal and says it violates the Geneva Convention, a charge Israeli officials deny. The U.N., various human rights groups and legal scholars, citing the blockade, consider Gaza to still be under military occupation by Israel. 

What is Hamas, and whom does it represent?

Hamas is one of the two major political parties in the Palestinian territories. Founded in 1987 during an uprising against Israel’s occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, the group was originally a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which favors Islamist principles —  a belief that Islam should play a major role in political life. 

For decades, Hamas  called for  the destruction of Israel. In 2017, 30 years after its founding, the group issued a new charter that appeared to  stop short  of that goal.

Many countries, including the U.S., the U.K. and Canada, have designated Hamas a terrorist organization because of its attacks on Israel, which include rocket salvos and suicide bombings. Other countries, including New Zealand, deem only Hamas' military wing to be a terrorist group. Hamas also provides social services for people in Gaza, such as education and medical care in hospitals.

Hamas says it is a freedom-fighting movement to free Palestinians from occupation and reclaim large parts of Israel. Its actions are divisive among Palestinians and those who support establishing a Palestinian state because of its use of violence.

A recent poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research reported that one-third of Palestinians found the internal and political split between the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza to be “the most damaging development that has happened since 1948.” 

The same poll found that more than half of Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank would vote for Hamas over the Palestinian Authority. The group’s popularity grew after a two-week conflict with Israel in 2021, with roughly 75% of those polled viewing Hamas as safeguarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque and other Muslim holy sites in East Jerusalem. 

Hamas receives heavy backing from Iran, which contributes “funds, weapons, and training” to the militant group, according to the Council on Foreign Relations . Though Turkey insists it supports Hamas only politically, it has been accused of  funding Hamas’ terrorism , including through funds diverted from Turkish government aid programs.

What is it like living in Gaza?

Human Rights Watch likened the conditions in Gaza to “an open air prison,” referring to the restriction of movement Israel enforces on Palestinians there. Israel prohibits Palestinians from entering or leaving the area “except in extremely rare cases, which include urgent, life-threatening medical conditions and a very short list of merchants,” according to B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group. 

Since 2005, Israelis and Jewish settlers are not allowed to travel in and out of Gaza freely. Foreigners are not subject to those restrictions but must obtain permits from Israeli authorities. Over the years, Israel has gradually closed land-border crossings from Gaza into Israel except for one — which is open only to Palestinians with Israeli-approved permits. Egypt sporadically closes its land-border crossing for months on end, which is often the only way people in Gaza can gain access to the rest of the world.

By limiting imports and nearly all exports, Israel’s 16-year blockade has driven Gaza's economy to near-collapse, with unemployment rates above 40%, according to the World Bank . More than 65% of the population live under the poverty line, according to the U.N., with 63% of people in Gaza deemed “ food insecure ” by the World Food Program. Little psychological support exists for a generation of children who are “living with the long-term psychological effects of constant exposure to violence,” according to a U.N. report , which described an uptick of mental health issues, including depression, among young people living in the Gaza Strip.

“The Gaza closure blocks talented, professional people, with much to give their society, from pursuing opportunities that people elsewhere take for granted,” Human Rights Watch said in a 2021 report . “Barring Palestinians in Gaza from moving freely within their homeland stunts lives and underscores the cruel reality of apartheid and persecution for millions of Palestinians.”

In the wake of the recent surprise Hamas attack that killed 700 Israelis, conditions for civilians in Gaza are expected to dramatically worsen. So far, more than 400 Palestinians have died in Israeli air strikes. An Israeli ground invasion of Gaza is likely, which Hamas has vowed to fiercely resist. On Monday Israel’s defense minister announced “a complete siege” of Gaza, cutting off all electricity, fuel, food and water to the enclave.

CORRECTION (March 24, 2024, 12:40 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this article incorrectly described who was allowed to travel in and out of Gaza prior to Oct. 7. Foreigners and certain Israelis could do so with permits, but Israelis and Jewish settlers without permits could not.

Yasmine Salam is an associate producer with the NBC News Investigative Unit. Previously she worked in the London Bureau, covering international stories.

Located on the Mediterranean seashore, 32 kilometers north of the Egyptian border, Gaza City is considered one of the most ancient towns in the world. Strategically placed on the Mediterranean coastal route, ancient Gaza was a prosperous trade center and a stop on the caravan route between Egypt and Syria.

Gaza was a major Philistine city in the early Iron Age, and the site of the Canaanite God of fertility, Dagon. Gaza City is mentioned a number of times in the Bible, especially as the place where, according to tradition, Samson brought down the Philistine temple. In 734 BC the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III captured Gaza and the city remained under Assyrian control until the middle of the seventh century BC. In the sixth century BC, Gaza became an important royal fortress under the Babylonians. The city of Gaza flourished during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. It was mentioned by the ancient Greek writer Herodotus as Kadytis. In 332 BC, the city was captured by Alexander the Great after a long siege. During the Roman period, Gaza became a major urban center, with temples dedicated to Zeus, Aphrodite, Apollo and the major local deity Marnas. The city was expanded beyond the ancient settlement, and the ancient port of Maiumas was established. During the Byzantine period, the name of the city was changed to Constantia, and a large church was built on the site of the temple of Marnas in the fifth century AD. The city was depicted on the Madaba mosaic map from the sixth century as a large city with colonnaded streets and a large basilica in the center. It was shown also on the mosaic floor of the Church of Saint Stephen at Umm ar-Rasas, from the eighth century. In 636, Gaza came under Islamic rule. It became famous as the burial place of Hashim, the grandfather of Prophet Mohammed, and as the birthplace of Al-Shafia. The Church of John the Baptist was built on the site of the Eudoxiana. In 1187 the city was captured by Saladin and became part of the Ayyubid state. Gaza was a regional capital during the Mamluk period. In 1516 the city of Gaza fell to the Ottoman Empire and became the capital of the province of Palestine. It flourished during this period as a main trade center and a station on the main trade route between Egypt, Palestine, and Arabia. Gaza was under British rule from 1918 to 1948, and under Egyptian rule between 1948 and 1967, when it fell under Israeli occupation in 1967. Following the transfer of authority to the Palestinians in 1995, Gaza was again under the control of its people.

Today, Gaza City is the economic center for a region where citrus fruits and other crops are grown. The city is famous for its hand-woven carpets, wicker furniture, and pottery. Famous also for its fresh seafood, Gaza has numerous restaurants along the beach as well as public parks where visitors can enjoy the pleasant Mediterranean breeze. 

The Great Mosque

Located in downtown Gaza at the end of Omar Mukhtar Street, the Great Mosque or Al-Umari Mosque features a beautiful minaret. It was originally a Norman church built by the Crusaders in the twelfth

Napoleon’s Fort

Located on Al-Wahda Street in downtown Gaza, this imposing stone building dates back to the Mamluk period. It is known as Qasr al-Basha (The Pasha’s Palace) because Napoleon (referred to as

Saint Porphyrius Church

This fourth-century church is where Saint Porphyrius died and was buried in 420 AD. It is located in Gaza’s old city and is still used by the Greek Orthodox community.

Al-Zaytun Quarter

Gaza’s oldest quarter, Al-Zaytun contains many beautiful old homes with impressive carved wooden doorways. A Catholic church and a Protestant church are also located in this quarter.

Al-Daraj Quarter

This quarter in the old city features the Abdulhamid public fountain that was built in the sixteenth century and renovated by the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid in 1893.

Sayyed Hashem Mosque

Located in Al-Daraj Quarter, the mosque is one of the biggest and most beautiful in Gaza. The tomb of Prophet Muhammad’s grandfather Hashem Bin Abdulmanaf, who died in Gaza during a trading

Anthedon Port

Anthedon is the first known seaport of Gaza and is mentioned in Islamic literature along with Tida. The city was inhabited from 800 BC to 1100 AD. One kilometer south of Anthedon is the ancient

Tell Um Amer

The first settlement on this site, Tell Um Amer, was established during the Roman era in Wadi Gaza close to the seashore. It appears on the Madaba map under the name Tabatha and was inhabited

Located 25 kilometers south of Gaza City, Khan Yunis is a market town for the agricultural produce from local villages. It features a fortress built in the thirteenth century as a garrison for

Located on the southern tip of Gaza, Rafah is a beach town with sand dunes and date palms. This Canaanite town was called Rafia by the Greeks and the Romans, and some ancient mosques and archaeological

Deir al-Balah

Well known for its beaches and palm trees, recent excavations of this southern Gaza town uncovered a cemetery that dates back to the Late Bronze Age, along with pottery, tombs, bronze pots, and

Known for the distinctive feature of twists and turns, Wadi Gaza has eight major curves in its path across the Gaza Strip. Its width varies, with its widest point near its mouth where it reaches

GETTING INTO GAZA

Watchtower on the border between Rafah and Egypt – Marius Arnesen

Gaza, like the West Bank, is surrounded by a large military wall with access only possible via two entrances, one from Israel (Erez crossing) and the other from Egypt (Rafah crossing). It is important to note that due to the siege on Gaza imposed by Israel and in cooperation with the current regime in Egypt, getting into Gaza is, physically and bureaucratically, very difficult.

Gaza is not open to individuals wishing to travel or explore the region per say, but to those with a connection to international organisations or journalists, for example. In order to gain access to Gaza, you must have a legitimate reason to enter before you can apply for either an Israeli or Egyptian travel permit. Most travel via Egypt using the Rafah crossing.

From Cairo there are buses and taxis that go directly to the Rafah crossing border, with a journey time of around 5-6 hours to reach the border. From here you must pass through security checks performed by Egyptian police enquiring about the purpose of your visit and checking your possessions and travel documents. You will then be transferred to the Palestinian side where the same process will be repeated. This process can take hours so factor in plenty of time for making this crossing. Once through border security, you will find taxis waiting to take you to your final destination in Gaza.

NB: Due to the siege on Gaza, the Rafah crossing is often closed, opening only for a few days per month, so please check the crossings’ status before you travel to avoid disappointment. Furthermore, due to this, travel times may be significantly increased.

From Israel

The Erez border crossing is an Israeli crossing point that links the Gaza strip with Israel and as such is completely controlled by the Israeli army and officials. All international visitors that wish to enter Gaza using the Erez crossing must first receive a travel permit from the Israeli authorities, an application process infamous for its large delays and bureaucratic procedures. Significantly less travel permits are awarded for travel using this crossing and therefore most find it quickest and easiest to travel via Egypt.

NB: If successfully granted Israeli permission for entry via Erez, it is advisable to carry such documents on person at all times to present to officials when prompted.

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Gaza: who lives there and why it has been blockaded for so long

Most people in the strip, once part of Palestine, are refugees or their descendants, expelled during the creation of Israel in 1948

The Gaza Strip, a narrow slice of land on the Mediterranean Sea, is the smaller of the two Palestinian territories , inhabited by approximately 2.3m Palestinians.

Historically part of the geographical region of Palestine, it was a vital coastal location for centuries, linking Asia with Europe, and has been controlled by the Ottoman and then the British empires and, more recently, been under Egyptian and Israeli military occupations.

Where is Gaza?

The strip is wedged between the sea to the west, Israel to the north and east, and Egypt’s Sinai peninsula to the south. Gaza is geographically disconnected from the other Palestinian territory, the occupied West Bank, and Palestinians cannot freely travel between the two.

Who lives there?

The vast majority of the Palestinians who live in Gaza are refugees or the descendants of refugees who moved to Gaza after being expelled or fleeing Zionist forces during the wars around the creation of Israel in 1948. Palestinians call that exodus the Nakba , or catastrophe. This is why many in Gaza object to being called Gazans, as it suggests they are from the strip and diminishes their rights as refugees to return to their homes.

Nearly half the people in Gaza live in refugee camps – tented communities that have become impoverished concrete slums. Most young people in Gaza have never left the territory.

Who governs Gaza?

Israel occupied Gaza during the 1967 war with its neighbours, taking it from Egyptian forces. Israeli troops remained there until 2005, when the then prime minister, Ariel Sharon, “disengaged”, withdrawing more than 8,000 Jewish settlers from the area. Sharon wanted instead to solidify Israel’s control of the “biblical heartlands ” in the West Bank.

In 2006, the Islamist movement Hamas won a Palestinian election, leading to a rupture in Palestinian politics . Armed clashes broke out in Gaza between Hamas and militias linked to the internationally recognised Palestinian Authority, a secular body formed during failed international efforts to create a Palestinian state.

Since 2007, Hamas has been the de facto administration in Gaza and has ruled with an iron fist. However, Israel has never relinquished its overall control of the territory, and the UN considers Gaza still occupied. Israeli forces, in coordination with Egypt, which signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, have kept Gaza enclosed by land, air and sea.

How is the blockade enforced?

People, food, fuel, internet, power and water cannot leave or enter Gaza without permission from Israel. Egypt has a land crossing in the south, Rafah , but in practice, the military regime in Cairo – an enemy of Hamas and ally with Israel’s most powerful backer, the US – acts as an enforcer of the blockade.

Israel says the blockade is for its own security, citing repeated Hamas rocket attacks and incursions. But UN experts say the blockade, and intense bombing during five wars on Gaza, amounts to collective punishment on civilians, a war crime under international law.

Human Rights Watch describes Gaza as an “open-air prison”.

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U.N. Official Says ‘Every Day Counts’ in Aid Efforts for Gaza

The top coordinator for humanitarian aid in the territory said Israel had made progress but that much more needed to be done to meet the vast need there.

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By Matt Surman

• April 25, 2024

The U.N.’s top coordinator for humanitarian aid for Gaza has said that Israel has taken steps to improve the delivery of relief supplies to the enclave but warned that much more must be done to meet the vast need there.

Israel has announced efforts to increase the flow of aid into Gaza , including by opening an additional border crossing and by accepting shipments at a nearby port. But the United Nations has warned with increasing urgency that a famine is looming and that deliveries still fall short of the level needed to stop the spread of starvation.

The aid coordinator, Sigrid Kaag, said in a briefing at the Security Council on Wednesday that, while Israel had made efforts to increase the entry and distribution of aid, “further definitive and urgent steps are needed to set the course for a sustained flow of humanitarian and commercial goods into Gaza in terms of volume, need and reach.”

“Given the scale and scope of destruction and the extent of human suffering, every day counts,” she added.

According to U.N. data , the number of aid trucks entering Gaza has risen, but only slightly. In the two weeks ending Monday, the most recent day for which figures were available, an average of 195 trucks had entered Gaza each day through the two main crossings in the south of the territory.

That was slightly higher than the average of 185 trucks daily in the two weeks before that — but still far short of the 300 trucks of food that the World Food Program estimates are needed per day to begin to meet people’s basic needs.

Ms. Kaag, a Dutch former finance minister and deputy prime minister, was appointed by the United Nations in December to improve efforts to get aid into Gaza. The role was laid out in a Security Council resolution that aimed to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been under intense Israeli bombardment since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks.

Countries including the United States have tried to find air and sea routes into Gaza, but aid groups say delivery by truck would be far more efficient. They have described deep the challenges in navigating Israeli security checkpoints and in traveling through a war zone, including impassable roads, unexploded ordnance and fuel shortages. Israel has denied restricting aid, blaming U.N. agencies for bureaucratic delays.

Ms. Kaag said that the United Nations was in contact with the Israeli government on urgent measures needed to improve the flow of aid, including easing procedures at Israeli checkpoints, repairing roads and allowing humanitarian convoys to move as scheduled.

Ms. Kaag’s comments echoed those of President Biden’s special envoy for humanitarian issues in Gaza, David Satterfield, who said on Tuesday that the volume of aid into Gaza had increased but that “much more aid is needed.”

Our Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War

News and Analysis

Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered twin messages to Hamas and Israel , pressing Hamas to accept a cease-fire proposal while at the same time urging Israeli leaders to put off an invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah .

Nearly seven months into the war in Gaza, the stated aims and diplomatic efforts of the United States and Israel seem further apart than ever .

Thousands of miles away from the campus protests that have divided Americans, some displaced Palestinians are expressing solidarity with the antiwar demonstrators and gratitude for their efforts .

Nonviolent Resistance in the West Bank: Issa Amro, a Palestinian activist who has been arrested and beaten for simple acts of defiance, is aiming to emulate Gandhi  at a time when violence is inescapable.

Campus Protests in the U.S.: On quads and lawns from coast to coast, U.S. colleges are grappling with a groundswell of student activism  over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Administrators are having to make controversial decisions .

Cracking Down on Protests: Grief and rage over the Gaza war and Israel have led to demonstrations across the Arab world. Arrests suggest governments fear the outrage could boomerang .

Imagining Gaza’s Reconstruction: International development agencies have been meeting with Middle East business interests and urban planners to map out an economic future for the territory .

Gazans are paying tens of thousands of dollars to an Egyptian company to escape

S ome Gazans who have lost everything are trying to raise tens of thousands of dollars to pay a company with reported ties to Egypt's security state to help them evacuate their families across the border from Rafah.

One of them is Ahmed Jamal, 35, an English teacher whose two small children wake up screaming and crying most nights, wet their beds, hide and won't come out because they are scared they are going to die.

"Our situation is getting worse each day," Jamal said in a phone interview Saturday from his sister's bombed out home in Deir Al-Balah, in central Gaza. "I can't express to you how we are living: hardly any food, no water, not enough gas, no power. People like me don't feel there is anything left to do but leave Gaza."

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Jamal and his sister Amal Nassar, whose challenges being pregnant in Gaza during the war were chronicled by USA TODAY, are hoping that once they have sufficient funds , Hala Consulting and Tourism Services, a travel agency in Cairo connected to Egypt's military and intelligence agencies, will help their families cross the border.

Pregnant women in Gaza Strip: They face starvation, no anesthesia

The situation has become especially acute as fears grow Israel may soon invade Rafah as part of its war aim of rooting out Hamas and securing hostages held since the Oct. 7. attacks . If the invasion goes ahead, it is not immediately clear how the Rafah border crossing will be impacted.

More than 2 million people remain trapped in Gaza , about half of them in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city.

Escape from Gaza

For Palestinians, leaving Gaza for Egypt or anywhere else has never been easy because of a years-long sea, land and air blockade by Israel, which Israel says it needed to ensure its security and protect from threats of terrorism . Before the war, the Erez crossing in north Gaza, controlled by Israel, allowed some Gazans to cross over to Israel for work. For a few hundred dollars, travel companies like Hala helped people journey to Egypt for short stays. But the Erez crossing has been closed since Oct. 7, shuttered by Israel for its military campaign and as a buffer from terrorism threats. And today, Hala is asking Gazans to pay around $5,000 for an adult and $2,500 for a child to help them leave the enclave.

Other Gazans have reported paying even higher fees.

Finding that kind of money is far beyond the means of most Gazans at a time when few are able to work or get basic food and supplies. Many, like Jamal and his sister, are turning to platforms such as GoFundMe , with their money-raising campaigns run by friends, relatives and even well-wishing strangers in the U.S. and Europe.

"I just refuse to rest until families like theirs are safe," said Megan Bayra, a Californian who is helping to coordinate the fund-raising for several Gazan families on GoFundMe, including Jamal's and Nassar's .

Bayra has offered to host Nassar and her three kids in a guest house on her property if they manage first to get to Egypt and then secure a visa or asylum seeker status to travel to the U.S., which is not easy.

Exactly how Hala arranges the crossings from Gaza into Egypt is not fully transparent. The company did not respond to a comment request. What's clear, according to multiple Palestinians who are either in the middle of using its services to arrange to leave or have already left Gaza for Egypt, is that the service can only currently be accessed by having someone in Egypt physically go into its office in Cairo to register and make the payments in cash.

Requiring payment in U.S. dollar

The payment must be in U.S. dollars. A receipt is issued but there is no apparent way to communicate with Hala directly. Instead, those who are registered are asked to monitor lists of names that Hala publishes on its Facebook and Telegram accounts each day that detail who will be allowed to cross into Egypt, and when. Once the payment is made , approval to cross appears, for many, to take at least two weeks.

The payment to Hala includes transportation by bus and an entry permit to Egypt that lasts for at least a year. There can also be extra fees added to the headline price to accelerate the process.

How many Gazans in Egypt not clear

Even before the war, the process by which Gazans have used Egyptian travel services to cross into Gaza spurred allegations the system is susceptible to abuse including bribes, corruption and fake payments, according to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project , a global network of investigative journalists.

For more than a decade, the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing has been overseen by Hamas' interior ministry while Egypt's security forces, including its General Intelligence Service, have controlled the other side. Israel has long monitored the crossing from a nearby military base in coordination with a civilian agency named COGAT. Earlier this year, Diaa Rashwan, the head of Egypt’s state Information Service , denied what he described as the "unfounded allegations" that Gazans were being charged additional fees to cross the border during the war.

GoFundMe's website does not allow Gazans to start their own campaign pages if they are located inside the territory. It must be done by someone outside Gaza in the U.S. or Europe. The company did not return a request for comment on what security processes it has in place to make sure that third parties who raise money on behalf of Gazans are vetted.

Its website is full of Gazans trying to raise money to pay for Hala's services .

Haisam Hassanein, an Egyptian-American expert on the Middle East at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a Washington foreign policy and national security think tank, said that it is not easy to calculate how many Gazans may have been able escape Gaza for Egypt since the start of the war.

Gazan cafes and restaurants opening near Cairo

However, he said that one indication that many are has been the proliferation of Gazans opening up small businesses such as cafes and restaurants in Cairo and other parts of Egypt. Some are paying social media influencers to market their services. Hassanein said that Hala's service is "an exclusive one for those who have the money. Egypt is interested only in Gazans who have the cash and are going to benefit its economy."

Jamal said that he is doing everything he can to get his family out of Gaza and that virtually everyone he knows in his circle of friends and family are doing the same. He said that he is besides himself with fear for the safety of his wife Anhar, 32, his son Jamal, 4, and daughter Teya, 2. On top of that fear , he feels deep shame , he said, over having to ask strangers to help him raise the money that could be his family's only hope of survival.

More: Pentagon begins building floating pier to ferry humanitarian aid to Gaza

"What else can I do? What else?" he said Saturday, increasingly agitated.

He also said that while his family waits to see if they will be able to leave Gaza , he spends his days trying to distract his children with games of one kind or another. One of their favorite things to do is jump on a trampoline. They have a small one o n f the roof of his sister's building in Deir Al-Balah. It is partly broken.

"I just want them to forget everything around them," he said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gazans are paying tens of thousands of dollars to an Egyptian company to escape

Gaza, a thorn in Israel’s side or its dream?

Israel’s government says it will invade Rafah while others eye the remainder of Gaza and make their own plans.

The Israeli army is reinforcing its positions within the Gaza Strip, ostensibly before a long-telegraphed assault on Rafah and the Hamas brigades it says are present there.

Rafah’s population has swollen after hundreds of thousands of desperate families fleeing from the rest of Gaza sought what shelter they could from Israel’s relentless attacks.

Keep reading

This is not ‘netanyahu’s war’, it is israel’s genocide, what could be the consequences if israel invades rafah, israeli air attacks on rafah in gaza, ‘there will be massacres’: palestinians in rafah speak of their fears.

The southern city has not been spared Israeli attacks from the air as Israel has threatened for weeks to invade it by land, spurring international concerns about the potential impact on Palestinian civilians there.

Under pressure from its allies in the United States and the West as well as pressure from its neighbour Egypt, Israel appears to have permitted the building of a refugee camp at Khan Younis, north of Rafah.

About 40,000 tents are reported to have been bought by Israel while others, of unknown provenance are already in place outside Khan Younis. How 1.4 million people would be housed in those tents remains unclear, as do the details of an Israeli announcement on Wednesday that it had determined other, “safer” zones for the evacuees.

Gaza’s fate beyond any Israeli assault on Rafah remains unknown.

Far-right and ultranationalist members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, whom he relies on for the survival of his coalition government, are publicly invested in a ground offensive on Rafah, reacting angrily to any implication that it might not happen.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir reportedly told Netanyahu that not launching a land assault on Rafah meant he would have failed in his mission to protect Israel.

But the Israeli government also reportedly told Egypt on Friday that it would give a “last chance” to a potential captive release deal before invading, according to The Times of Israel, which quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying “a deal in the near future or Rafah”.

Benny Gantz, a member of the war cabinet who is seen as a more moderate figure and entered the war cabinet only after the war on Gaza began, said on Sunday: “Entering Rafah is important in the long struggle against Hamas. The return of our abductees, abandoned by the 7.10 [Netanyahu] government, is urgent and of far greater importance.” A deal to return the captives, he added, should be taken so long as it does not require that the war end.

Israel says four brigades of Hamas fighters and the group’s leaders remain in Rafah, shielded by a number of captives taken from Israel on October 7, which justifies an assault in defiance of international concern.

Israel has previously sought to combat Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, at other locations, such as al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, and declared them “cleared”.

Weeks later, Israeli soldiers and tanks would return to these same locations, killing more civilians and destroying more as the army “recleared” the areas.

“Netanyahu is coming to a strategic political intersection where the centrist bloc in the emergency government – led by Gantz – are pressuring for a hostages deal while the far-right section led by Smotrich and Ben-Gvir signal that a deal that would prevent Israel from initiating an operation in Rafah would not be acceptable for them,” Eyal Lurie-Paredes of the Middle East Institute said.

Judging by Netanyahu’s past, he will at all costs prioritise maintaining his coalition, which has a slight Knesset majority of 64 of 120 seats, Lurie-Paredes continued.

“His calculation is simple: He has full political dependency on Smotrich and Ben-Gvir for any future coalition after alienating most other factions of Israeli politics due to his ongoing corruption trial. Smotrich and Ben-Gvir are very aware of Netanyahu’s political dependency on them and use it to gain much influence on the government’s policy even though they are not part of the war cabinet,” he said.

Settler ambitions

Since Israel withdrew its 21 settlements and 9,000 settlers from Gaza in 2005, the enclave’s boundaries have held firm while Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been divided up and isolated from each other by settlements, illegal under international law, whose settlers attack Palestinian towns violently, and decisions by Israeli authorities.

Many Israeli settlers have come to see the current conflict as an opportunity to reverse that withdrawal from Gaza, but how much impact they have on decision-making is unclear.

“There has been an Israeli movement to settle in Gaza for decades, so the idea is not new at all. What’s new is the plausibility of the notion,” said HA Hellyer, senior associate fellow at the London-based Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies.

Several Israeli organisations advocate for the return of Israeli settlers to Gaza, such as Nachala, a group that organised a conference in January calling for Gaza settlements that was attended by Israeli government ministers and members of parliament.

The director of Nachala and a leading figure in the movement, 78-year-old settler Daniella Weiss, says more than 500 families have already “signed up to settle Gaza”.

She also stated that no Palestinians will remain within the enclave after settlement.

While taking the entirety of Gaza may be a step too far, some analysts say Israel or its settler movement may have an eye on splitting Gaza in two and taking the north, cramming the entire Palestinian population into even less space than they had when Gaza was called “the world’s largest open-air prison” by international organisations, including Amnesty International.

The idea has also been suggested on several occasions by Weiss, most recently in a video filmed by Middle East Eye in February.

In the video, Weiss outlines settler plans to march into northern Gaza, taking it piecemeal while Israeli soldiers look on, much as they continue to do as settlers attack people, burn property and encroach on Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.

“Settling just in the north of Gaza would make such settlements more strategically defensible in comparison to other parts of Gaza,” Hellyer said.

“The notion is serious. We have an Israeli government in office right now that is particularly hostage to far-right elements in order to stay in power, and we don’t have an opposition that is sufficiently resistant to ensure that such an eventuality does not take place.”

In March, Zvika Fogel, head of the Knesset’s National Security Committee, told Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan, that “Israel must end the war when Jews settle in the entire northern Gaza Strip”.

Much of northern Gaza was destroyed in the early months of the fighting and now lies in ruins, split off from southern Gaza by a corridor created by the Israeli army and called the Netzarim Corridor.

Last week, the Israeli army replaced the Nahal Brigade, which was operating in the Netzarim Corridor, with two reserve brigades, ostensibly to prepare for future operations.

Israeli security forces initially looked on in late February when a number of settlers stormed the Beit Hanoon (Erez in Hebrew) crossing into northern Gaza, some getting as far as 500 metres (550 yards) inside the Strip and erecting haphazard wooden structures that spoke as much to their symbolism as it did to the setters’ serious territorial ambitions. Eventually, Israeli soldiers forced them back to Israel.

While Netanyahu has denied that Israeli settlements in Gaza are an option, many leading Israeli politicians are known to support the suggestion.

A  poll carried out by the Jewish People Policy Institute in January showed that 36 percent of Jewish respondents in Israel believed that Israel should take control of Gaza and 26 percent said they supported the reconstruction of the former settlements.

However, thousands of Palestinians have stayed in northern Gaza and Gaza City, determined to never abandon their homes, and the return of civilians to northern Gaza has been one of Hamas’s central demands during ceasefire negotiations.

Humanitarian consequences

Focusing on the scenario of a ground offensive in Rafah, Israel’s Western allies have retained their concerns about the safety of the 1.4 million people sheltering there after fleeing Israel’s attacks on the rest of Gaza.

Regardless of whether a ground assault happens, conditions in Rafah are dire and not enough is being done about them, Louise Wateridge, a Rafah-based spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), told Al Jazeera.

People lack food, sanitation, potable water, adequate shelter and healthcare and have had their suffering compounded by a heatwave, which has seen temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

The US and others have said Israel must evacuate civilians in Rafah before a land invasion despite there being little evidence that Israel has taken humanitarian considerations into its calculations since October.

Israel for months has been refusing to cooperate with UNRWA, the best placed international agency to deliver aid in Gaza as it has both the teams and the infrastructure to do so.

“UNRWA is not only the backbone of the humanitarian operation in the Gaza Strip but also the glue that holds it together,” Wateridge said. “Nothing would be delivered or provided without the coordination of our UNRWA colleagues here.”

“The community engagement involved with the agency’s work is very unique. People in Gaza know UNRWA, and no other agency has this relation,” Wateridge added.

It is not clear what agency could administer any camps established for Palestinians evacuated from Rafah or support the traumatised population that will be sheltering there.

Shortfalls in aid crossings into Rafah have been the subject of repeated international criticism of Israel, including that from its closest international ally, the US. In April, Israel agreed to reopen the Beit Hanoon (Erez) crossing as the only access point for aid to enter northern Gaza and a crossing built for pedestrians.

Farther south, a pier is being assembled by the US in the Mediterranean Sea to be towed to Gaza to be used to deliver humanitarian aid.

Aid officials have told The Guardian newspaper that the pier will not be positioned in northern Gaza, where the threat of famine is most acute, but at the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza, where the Israeli army is stationed, ostensibly so that it can guard the supplies.

According to sources quoted by the paper, there are growing fears that the pier will be used to deliver aid to the displaced of Rafah rather than to the north, where it is most needed.

“One of the key arguments for having a dock was to put it farther north so that suppliers could come in more directly to the north,” a UN official said, adding that what was actually being proposed looked more like a “smokescreen to enable the Israelis to invade Rafah”.

Could Israel take Gaza and retain international support?

Protests around the world against the war show no signs of abating, and criticism from governments towards Israel continues to increase.

In the US and Canada, protests on university campuses are growing and have been in the spotlight for the past two weeks.

Nevertheless, even as criticism increases, the US government has remained by Israel’s side.

It has used its veto in the UN Security Council several times to block ceasefire proposals and in April was the only member to block a proposal for Palestinian statehood.

Whether Israel’s die-hard allies will be able to stem the tide of anger at its destruction of Palestinian lives and infrastructure in Gaza as well as in the occupied West Bank remains to be seen.

So far, despite an increasingly vocal public campaign for Western states to confront Israel over its actions in Gaza, governments have offered only the most tremulous criticism.

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Middle East crisis — explained

The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them.

A 100-degree heat wave in Gaza offers a sweltering glimpse of a tough summer to come

Becky Sullivan

Displaced Palestinians in Rafah sit in the shade of their tent on a 100-degree day in the Gaza Strip. Anas Baba for NPR hide caption

Displaced Palestinians in Rafah sit in the shade of their tent on a 100-degree day in the Gaza Strip.

RAFAH, Gaza Strip — For two sweltering days this week, as temperatures topped 100 degrees Fahrenheit, Mohammad Ayash's tent had become unbearable — so hot, he said, it was like "hell fire."

Shot by Israeli troops while getting aid, a boy in Gaza fights for his life

"Red-hot death. It's killing us," he said.

Like thousands of Palestinians, Ayash and his family have lived for months in a modest, hand-built tent after leaving their home to flee from Israel's seven-month military campaign.

But the tent Ayash erected — a modest triangle built against a cinder block wall, its outer walls made of blankets and cloth — was meant for the cold, rainy nights of a Gaza winter, he said. To keep him and his family dry, he had lined the tent walls with plastic, the sheets held in place by wooden boards nailed together.

What to know about a possible Israeli military offensive in Rafah

In this week's heat, he said, wiping the sweat from his brow, it was even hotter inside the tent than outside. "The kids are falling apart. They can't stay inside the tents," he said. "We want to remove the nylon from it, God willing."

By Friday, the two-day heat wave had broken, and temperatures had returned to the 70s. But for Palestinians and aid workers alike, the high heat served as a preview of a summer to come — during which the punishing heat will weigh daily on every facet of what has become normal life in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Health organizations are also concerned about infectious diseases, which spread more quickly and widely in hot environments.

A baby girl born orphaned and premature after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza has died

"With the hot summer and with high temperature, this is creating an atmosphere for all kinds of germs and pollution. And of course, this is the main driver for waterborne diseases and airborne disease," warned Abdelrahman Al Tamimi, the director-general of the Palestinian Hydrology Group, a nonprofit that focuses on water and health issues in the Palestinian territories.

At least one Palestinian woman has died due to the heat, a worker with the global relief group Mercy Corps told NPR. Lara al-Sayigh, 18, had received word that she would be allowed to exit Gaza, said Mahmoud Khwaider, the aid worker and al-Sayigh's neighbor. But she passed out from the heat and died before she could reach the border station at Rafah, Khwaider said.

At a field hospital Thursday, a doctor ran clean water over the faces of two wailing young girls, their eyes burning from lice medication that had run from their scalps down into their eyes due to heat and sweat.

The heat is dangerous for many Palestinians who lack ways to stay cool

Nowhere in Gaza is hotter than Rafah, at the territory's southern border along the edge of the Sinai desert. In summertime, daily high temperatures average in the mid-90s. Hot days regularly reach over 100 degrees.

More than a million Palestinians have taken shelter here, the United Nations says, as Israel's punishing military campaign forced people to flee from their homes further north.

Many lack air conditioning, fans or regular access to drinking water. And makeshift shelters like tents offer little respite from the heat.

"We didn't expect things to reach a stage where we sit until May and June, and so on," said Sharif Mazen Abu Odeh, who left his home in Beit Hanoun, a city in Gaza's northeasternmost corner, shortly after Oct. 7, and didn't anticipate being displaced this long.

Thousands of Palestinians took to the Mediterranean Sea to cool off on Wednesday and Thursday, as temperatures topped 100 degrees in Rafah. Anas Baba for NPR hide caption

Thousands of Palestinians took to the Mediterranean Sea to cool off on Wednesday and Thursday, as temperatures topped 100 degrees in Rafah.

The Israeli military's campaign of airstrikes and ground operations, a response to the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7 that Israel says killed 1,200 people, has displaced most of Gaza's population of 2.2 million. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed since Oct. 7, Gaza health officials say.

Many left their homes with barely more than what they were wearing, let alone a full complement of winter and summer clothes. Most have been displaced multiple times, including Abu Odeh, who said he has moved four times since October.

"May God send down a little mercy from himself to cool the weather," Abu Odeh said. "I don't believe anyone other than the residents of the Gaza Strip — no one in the world — is living the life we are currently suffering from."

Aid is also affected by the heat

Among aid workers, some were able to start their work before dawn in order to wrap up by the time the heat peaked in the mid-afternoon. But others worked through the heat, like those operating the Rafah and Kerem Shalom border crossings, where lifesaving aid enters Gaza daily.

UNRWA, the U.N. relief agency for Palestinians, reported several heat injuries among its staff Thursday.

"Everybody's a little slower. You have to take more breaks and drink more water, which is in short supply," said Scott Anderson, UNRWA's deputy director of operations in Gaza. "It does impact everything to do with manual labor, because it's so hot and there's not anywhere, really, to seek shade."

For the summer to come, UNRWA said it will look into the possibility of opening the crossings earlier in the day — as soon as there is daylight — in order to take a safety break during the afternoon.

Afraid of the summer to come

At a water truck, small children gathered directly underneath the spigots and danced in the drops that spilled as adults above them filled up their jugs. Women, in the privacy of their shelters, removed their hijabs to dip them in water before putting them on again. Along the rows of tents, people relaxed in what little shade they could find, hoping for a breeze.

And thousands flocked to the Mediterranean Sea to cool off — among them, a five-year-old boy named Zakaria, who told NPR that his swim in the ocean had made him happy.

But for his father, who gave his name only as Haitham, the heat wave had been "torture, in every sense of the word," he said.

Even worse would be the summer to come, he said. "We don't know what to do with our families, with our children. We don't know how to face this heat," Haitham said. "We are terrified."

Becky Sullivan reported from Tel Aviv. Anas Baba reported from Rafah. Aya Batrawy contributed reporting from Dubai.

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Breaking news, anti-israel mob charges cops in portland with garbage can shields – only to be quickly thwarted.

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It’s the charge of the trash brigade!

Anti-Israel protesters at Portland State University (PSU) burst from the campus library Thursday morning in a rag-tag phalanx of bicycle helmets and makeshift shields fashioned from trash bins during a crackdown by police.

But, despite their battle cries, they were quickly thwarted by waiting cops, according to footage captured by KGW8 .

Some managed to scurry away and avoid arrest, footage appeared to show, while others were grabbed and slammed to the ground after attempting to ram through a line of cops.

The protestors — who would have left riders of the Light Brigade shaking their heads — had occupied PSU’s Brandford Miller Library since Monday, prompting the campus to close for three straight days. Police finally began breaching the library first thing Thursday morning.

Once inside cops found an arsenal of what appeared to be makeshift weapons and armor, including buckets of ball bearings, paint-filled balloons, and cups of dish soap alongside a note reading “Throw down stairs if cops come up.”

Of the 12 people who were arrested, only four were confirmed as students, KGW8 reported.

The crackdown at Portland State followed an early-morning raid by police on violent anti-Israel protesters at University of Southern California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Encampments at colleges across the country came crashing down Thursday as police finally descended and made sweeping arrests.

At UCLA, at least 132 demonstrators were arrested during the raid, which came hours after the barricaded encampment — which was staffing its own security around the perimeters — refused to disperse Wednesday evening.

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The California Highway Patrol closed in around 3 a.m. armed with smoke grenades, rubber bullets, and flashbangs as they dismantled the camp which had become the sight of several unruly incidents since it went up.

Though the protestors are gone, the trashed remains of their encampment were left behind blotting out the typically vibrant green of the quad — forcing workers to come in and haul away heaps of garbage, structural debris used as barriers, and countless battered tents where the protestors had been living.

The scenes at PSU and UCLA mirrored the chaos that unfolded at Columbia University in NYC days earlier in the week, after the NYPD finally descended on demonstrators who had also holed themselves up in a building on campus.

More than 100 people were arrested after the raid on Tuesday night, which involved officers breaching the upper floor windows of Columbia’s Hamilton Hall, battering down blocked doors, and dismantling barricades erected out of classroom furniture.

About 20 blocks north at City College, more were taken into custody resulting in about 280 arrests across both schools.

There were at least 47 non-students among the arrests.

Not all encampments ended in chaos, however.

At Brown University, demonstrators and administrators came to an agreement Tuesday to disband the camp through the end of the school year in return for a May sit down with the school’s governing body to discuss their demands that the school divest itself from any association with businesses “enabling and profiting from the genocide in Gaza,” according to Axios .

The results of their discussions will be put to a vote in October, according to the agreement.

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• Friday, 03 May 2024

Israel issues travel warning for Eurovision's Swedish host city

Afp , thursday 2 may 2024.

Israel issued a travel advisory Thursday urging citizens to avoid travelling to the Swedish city of Malmo ahead of the Eurovision song contest due to take place there, citing "credible concerns" of attacks.

Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 34,596 and wounded more than 77,000 people -- mostly women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry, with the mounting civilian death toll leading to a surge in anti-Israel sentiment around the world.

The international rebuke comes as Israel's siege of Gaza has pushed more than half of the population to the   brink of famine , with people in north Gaza already living under "famine-like conditions."

Citing "anti-Israel protests" and "calls to harm Jews and Israelis", the advisory shared concerns "that terrorist factions will take advantage of the demonstrations and the anti-Israel atmosphere to execute attacks on Israelis coming to Sweden for the Eurovision".

The country's National Security Council advised Israelis planning to travel to Sweden's third-largest city during the contest from May 7 to 11 to reconsider their plans.

The security council raised the travel alert for Malmo from level 2 (potential threat) to level 3 (moderate threat) without changing alert levels for the rest of Sweden.

The security council also advised those who did wish to travel to download the Israeli army's Home Front Command application to receive real-time announcements in case of an emergency there.

The application is usually used to send notifications in case of rocket attacks in Israel.

The city of Malmo on Wednesday promised heightened security for this year's contest, where at least half a dozen applications have been filed for demonstration permits to protest the Israeli presence at the competition.

Malmo is home to over 360,000 inhabitants spanning 186 nationalities, including a large portion of the country's Palestinian-origin population.

Critics have called for Israel to be banned from competing, as the Israeli onslaught on Gaza nears seven months.

But the European Broadcasting Union allowed Eden Golan to represent Israel with her song "Hurricane", a rewritten version of another song that was considered too political for its references to the events on October 7.

Israeli media reported that Shin Bet, the country's internal security service, advised the 20-year-old Russian-Israeli to stay confined to her room for the duration of her stay in Malmo.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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