Deir al-Balah

Palestinian Authority municipality Deir el-Balah or Dayr al-Balah ( ) is located in the central Gaza Strip and is the capital or muhfaza (seat) of the Deir el-Balah Governorate . According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics , the city had a population of 49,751 in mid-year 2006. Well-known for its beaches and date palms, recent archeological excavations uncovered a cemetery dating back to the late Bronze Age filled with pottery, tombs, bronze pots and a mosaic floor. Deir al-Balah also contains a monastery built by St. The city has been a frequent target of Israeli incursions , particularly since the beginning of the Second Intifada in 2001, with the stated aim of stopping Qassam rocket fire into Israel. Ahmad Kurd , a Hamas member, was elected mayor in late January 2005 and of the city's council seats, 13 of 15 were won by Hamas candidates in February 2005.

Palestinian Authority municipality Deir al-Balah or Dayr al-Balah ( translated Monastery of the Date Palm) is a Palestinian city in the central Gaza Strip and the administrative capital of the Deir el-Balah Governorate . It is located over 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) south of Gaza City . The city had a population of 54,439 in 2007. The city is known for its date palms , after which it is named. Deir al-Balah dates back to the Late Bronze Age when it served as a fortified outpost for the New Kingdom of Egypt . A monastery was built there by the Christian monk Hilarion in the mid-4th-century AD and is currently believed to be the site of a mosque dedicated to Saint George , known locally as al-Khidr . During the Crusader - Ayyubid wars, Deir al-Balah was the site of a strategic coastal fortress known as "Darum" which was continuously contested, dismantled and rebuilt by both sides until its final demolition in 1196; after this the site grew to become a large village on the postal route in the Mamluk era from the 13th to 15th-centuries and served as an episcopal see of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem in Ottoman times until the late 19th-century. Under Egyptian control Deir al-Balah, whose population tripled through the influx of refugees from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War , was a prosperous agricultural town until its capture by Israel in the Six-Day War . After 27 years of Israeli occupation, Deir al-Balah became the first city to come under Palestinian self-rule in 1994. Since the outbreak of the Second Intifada in 2000, it has witnessed frequent incursions by the Israeli Army with the stated aim of stopping Qassam rocket fire into Israel. Ahmad Kurd , a Hamas member, was elected mayor in late January 2005. The New York Times . The New York Times Company. 2005-05-27 . The Washington Post . 2005-01-29 .

Municipality type A in State of Palestine Deir al-Balah or Deir al Balah ( translated Monastery of the Date Palm) is a Palestinian city in the central Gaza Strip and the administrative capital of the Deir el-Balah Governorate . It is located over 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) south of Gaza City . The city had a population of 54,439 in 2007. The city is known for its date palms , after which it is named. Deir al-Balah dates back to the Late Bronze Age when it served as a fortified outpost for the New Kingdom of Egypt . A monastery was built there by the Christian monk Hilarion in the mid-4th century AD and is currently believed to be the site of a mosque dedicated to Saint George , known locally as al-Khidr . During the Crusader - Ayyubid wars, Deir al-Balah was the site of a strategic coastal fortress known as "Darum" which was continuously contested, dismantled and rebuilt by both sides until its final demolition in 1196. Afterward, the site grew to become a large village on the postal route of the Mamluk Sultanate (13th-15th centuries). It served as an episcopal see of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem in Ottoman times until the late 19th century. Under Egyptian control Deir al-Balah, whose population tripled through the influx of refugees from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War , was a prosperous agricultural town until its capture by Israel in the Six-Day War . After 27 years of Israeli occupation, Deir al-Balah became the first city to come under Palestinian self-rule in 1994. Since the outbreak of the Second Intifada in 2000, it has witnessed frequent incursions by the Israeli Army with the stated aim of stopping Qassam rocket fire into Israel. Ahmad Kurd , a Hamas member, was elected mayor in late January 2005. The New York Times . The New York Times Company. 2005-05-27 . The Washington Post . 2005-01-29 .

Municipality type A in State of Palestine Deir al-Balah or Deir al Balah ( ) is a Palestinian city in the central Gaza Strip and the administrative capital of the Deir el-Balah Governorate . It is located over 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) south of Gaza City . The city had a population of 54,439 in 2007. The city is known for its date palms , after which it is named. Deir al-Balah dates back to the Late Bronze Age when it served as a fortified outpost for the New Kingdom of Egypt . A monastery was built there by the Christian monk Hilarion in the mid-4th century AD and is currently believed to be the site of a mosque dedicated to Saint George , known locally as al-Khidr . During the Crusader - Ayyubid wars, Deir al-Balah was the site of a strategic coastal fortress known as "Darum" which was continuously contested, dismantled and rebuilt by both sides until its final demolition in 1196. Afterward, the site grew to become a large village on the postal route of the Mamluk Sultanate (13th-15th centuries). It served as an episcopal see of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem in Ottoman times until the late 19th century. Under Egyptian control Deir al-Balah, whose population tripled through the influx of refugees from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War , was a prosperous agricultural town until its capture by Israel in the Six-Day War . After 27 years of Israeli occupation, Deir al-Balah became the first city to come under Palestinian self-rule in 1994. Since the outbreak of the Second Intifada in 2000, it has witnessed frequent incursions by the Israeli Army with the stated aim of stopping Qassam rocket fire into Israel. Ahmad Kurd , a Hamas member, was elected mayor in late January 2005. The New York Times . 2005-05-27 . The Washington Post . 2005-01-29 . The Washington Post . p.

Municipality type A in State of Palestine Deir al-Balah or Deir al Balah ( Arabic : دير البلح , lit. ' Monastery of the Date Palm ' ) is a city in the center of the Gaza Strip , Palestine , and the administrative capital of the Deir al-Balah Governorate . It is located over 14 kilometers (8.7 mi) south of Gaza City . The city had a population of 75,132 in 2017. The city is known for its date palms , after which it is named. Deir al-Balah dates back to the Late Bronze Age when it served as a fortified outpost for the New Kingdom of Egypt . A monastery was built there by the Christian monk Hilarion in the mid-4th century AD and is currently believed to be the site of a mosque dedicated to Saint George , known locally as al-Khidr . During the Crusader - Ayyubid wars, Deir al-Balah was the site of a strategic coastal fortress known as "Darum" which was continuously contested, dismantled and rebuilt by both sides until its final demolition in 1196. Afterward, the site grew to become a large village on the postal route of the Mamluk Sultanate (13th-15th centuries). It served as an episcopal see of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem in Ottoman times until the late 19th century. Egyptian occupation after 1948 saw the population triple from the influx of refugees during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War . It was a prosperous agricultural town. Israel captured the region during the Six-Day War . Deir al-Balah became the first city to come under Palestinian self-rule in 1994. Since the outbreak of the Second Intifada in 2000, it has witnessed frequent incursions by the Israeli Army with the stated aim of stopping Qassam rocket fire into Israel. Ahmad Kurd , a Hamas member, was elected mayor in late January 2005. By late 2024, a tented camp had been established at Deir al-Balah. "Smile of Hope Camp" is managed by the Palestinian Red Crescent and provides care and facilities for people with disabilities. Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) (Report). The New York Times . 2005-05-27 . The Washington Post . 2005-01-29 . The Washington Post . p.