Gaza Strip: Origins & Israel’s Role

by

BarcelonaWe have been hearing again for the Gaza Strip, where the Israeli army continues to lead with the civilian population: according to UNICEF, 50,000 creatures have been killed or injured, and according to the UN, the blockade of humanitarian aid has caused the worst hunger crisis in the world. The genocide in progress in this small corner of the Mediterranean – it has dimensions similar to the Maresme – has returned it intermittently under the spotlight. But there are few who know their origin: it was Israel who created the Gaza Strip, almost eight decades ago. Now, it devastates it.

Register to the International newsletter
What seems far away matters more than ever


Sign up

“To understand what is happening today in Gaza, you need to know what happened in 1948,” said Israeli historian Ilan Pappé this week at the inaugural conference of the Palestine Congress organized at the University of Barcelona by the Center for International and South South Historical Studies. “Like many other colonial projects, Zionism wanted a geographical and demographic change: appropriating the maximum land of historical Palestine with the minimum of Palestinian population inside. And Israel’s policy has been marked by this logic of space and population, every moment depending on the capacity it has had to execute this objective.”

Neither the Palestinian attacks of October 7, 2023 nor the subsequent genocidal offensive of Israel are understood without this idea: “Israel created the Gaza Strip. It did not exist before 1948”. And for what purpose? “In 1948, Israel expelled as many Palestinians as he could to the neighboring Arab countries: those who lived north of what became Israeli territory were forced to Lebanon and Syria, those from East to Jordan, but those in the center and south could not send them anywhere because Egypt wanted to open the border,” says Pappé. The solution found by the first Israeli politicians and generals was to create “the largest refugee camp in the world”, in the form of a rectangular land language on the Mediterranean coast. A fact that is too often forgotten and without which nothing can be understood in what is happening in Gaza: 70% of the strip population are refugees from the Nakba [catàstrofe]as the Palestinians call the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands to make the state of Israel possible.

The strip was erected around the city of Gaza, a millennial city of the Via Marisone of the oldest known trade routes, documented already in the Bronze Age, which linked the ancient empires of Egypt, Syria and Anatolia, following the coastline, and connected them with Mesopotamia. More than two million Palestinians are now piled up in this outdoor prison, which have not left four generations later, to claim their right to return home.

Diaspora after the Nakba


Line d’weaponsstici of 1949

Line d’weaponsstici of 1949

Line d’weaponsstici of 1949

The Palestinian geographer Salman Abu Sitta was 11 years old when in 1948 he had to leave the Beer Sheva region and take refuge in the Gaza Strip. He is now a revered Palestinian geographer, founder of the Palestine Land Society in London, who has dedicated himself to recovering Palestine’s maps and documenting how and where his population has been scattered. “ There are two million Palestinian refugees in Gaza. They were expelled from 247 towns and cities in southern Palestine, fleeing dozens of massacres.They piled them in a concentration camp called a Gaza Strap, with a population density of 8,000 people per square kilometer, in a territory of 365 square kilometers, that is, 1.3% of the Palestinian territory, ” the Palestinian Territory, Congress. ” square.

The strip became an island without resources to support its population, completely dependent on foreign aid: in 1949 there was already hunger in Gaza, there were already hospitals, massacres were already perpetrated. Gaza was not “viable” disconnected from the rest of Palestine, and he has never been. Things over time could only get worse: the 141,000 inhabitants in 1949 have become 2.3 million. That is why it has always been explosive: it is not by chance that it was the cradle of the first Palestinian guerrillas, of the Organization for the Liberation of Palestine (OAP), of the first left -wing party, of the first intifada and of Hamas. Gaza, a huge refugee camp, had the social base for all these processes. If we watch the movie of the facts, and not the isolated photography of the present moment, things are much better understood. October 7 and the later war is another chapter of this story, which, in the background, puts Israel in front of the mirror of its past, a past that for 80 years has tried to deny. The war that began in 2023 is Israel’s last attempt to end the “problem” refugees once and for all.

Abu Sitta has organized a team of researchers who, with the tools of geography and demographics, have drawn a plan for the return of Palestinian refugees to their lands. The right to return of Palestinian refugees is protected by the UN resolution 194, which has been ratified more than 130 times, in the Geneva Convention and in many other international conventions. “ We have done a detailed study, town by village, city to city, and we know perfectly where the Palestinian refugees are.And we also know that they could return home and regain their properties only if 77 towns were evacuated from 927 where now the Israeli population lives, in particular the kebuts in the vicinity of Gaza.And the Palestinian cities that have been destroyed, it would be a much easier, more human, more human, logical than Trump’s criminal plan. ” But the old geographer knows that all this is not a space problem: “In order to be possible, it is necessary to end Zionism, war crimes, dispossession, occupation, racism … and genocide.”

Gaza: A History of Displacement and Devastation

Teh ongoing conflict in Gaza is more than just a recent tragedy; itS the culmination of decades of displacement, strategic decisions, and unmet international obligations. To understand the present crisis, it’s essential to delve into the past context and the intentional creation of the Gaza Strip as a place of refuge, later transformed into a densely populated, and now devastated, territory. This article sheds light on the origins of the Gaza Strip, its transformation, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The Genesis of the Gaza Strip: A Refugée Camp

As historian Ilan Pappé emphasized at the Palestine Congress in barcelona, the events of 1948 are critical to understanding the current situation.Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Israel sought to establish a demographic majority within its borders. Palestinians, especially those in the central and southern areas of the newly defined Israeli territory, found themselves unable to flee to other Arab nations. The solution implemented by Israeli leaders was the creation of the Gaza Strip – a confined area designed to contain and control a displaced population.

A History of Displacement: The Nakba and Its Legacy

The establishment of the Gaza Strip was intrinsically linked to the Nakba (“catastrophe” in Arabic), the mass displacement of Palestinians during Israel’s founding. Refugees from approximately 247 towns and cities in southern Palestine, fleeing widespread violence, were forced into the Gaza Strip. The consequences would be immense: a complete dependence on foreign aid, restricted movement, widespread hunger and disease, and the constant threat of escalating conflict. Today, around 70% of the population of Gaza are considered refugees, their future contingent on the very soil they live on.

Visualizing Displacement: A Look at the Camps

The effects of displacement can be difficult to convey,but visualizing the scale of the situation makes it clear.

”Map

Map illustrating the location of refugee camps and the 1949 Armistice Line.Source: [Source, if available]

The map above offers a clear example, providing a visual representation of the concentration of refugees in the Gaza Strip.

Key Statistics and Comparisons:

| Metric | Data | Insights |

|—————————-|—————————————-|————————————————————————————————————————————-|

| Population of Gaza | ~2.3 million | Illustrates the density and strain on resources within the confined territory. |

| Area of Gaza | 365 sq km | A tiny area, highlighting the confined nature of the population. |

| Refugee Percentage | ~70% | Indicates the generational impact of the Nakba and ongoing displacement crisis. |

| Population Density | ~6,301 people per sq km | Extremely high, among the highest in the world and a notable factor in the humanitarian crisis. |

| Number of Palestinian Refugees | Over 5 million across the world | Demonstrates that the history of these events is not limited to this tiny strip.|

The Path Forward: Justice and Return

The Palestinian geographer Salman Abu Sitta argues for the right of return, as enshrined in UN Resolution 194 and various international conventions. He and other academics have created detailed plans to reintegrate Palestinian refugees. However, the current conditions make it clear that any solution must address. As Abu Sitta notes, the issue cannot be solved with a simple geographical solution. The core issue of Zionism, war crimes, dispossession, and genocide must be addressed to allow a return to sustainable and moral solutions.

FAQ Section:

Q: What is the Gaza Strip?

A: The Gaza Strip is a small, densely populated territory located on the Mediterranean coast, bordering Israel and Egypt. It serves as a refuge to millions of Palestinian refugees.

Q: Why was the Gaza Strip created?

A: The Gaza Strip was created in 1948 by Israel to concentrate Palestinians who could not flee to neighboring countries. The region then developed into a refugee camp to serve millions.

Q: Who are the residents of the Gaza strip?

A: The majority of Gaza’s residents are Palestinian refugees and their descendants, who were displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War (Nakba) and subsequent conflicts.

Q: What is the Nakba?

A: The Nakba,meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic,refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.

Q: What is the current humanitarian situation in Gaza?

A: The Gaza Strip is currently facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with high levels of destruction, displacement, lack of resources, and many casualties. Humanitarian aid is being blocked by the government of Israel.

Q: What is the right of return?

A: The right of return refers to the UN-recognized right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and lands from which they were expelled. This right is enshrined in UN Resolution 194 and other international conventions.

Q: What role has the international community played in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

A: The international community’s involvement has been complex and includes various resolutions, peace initiatives, and humanitarian aid efforts, some countries support the views of the Palestinians, some support the views of the Israelis, and some try to stay neutral.

Aiko Tanaka

Aiko Tanaka is a combat sports journalist and general sports reporter at Archysport. A former competitive judoka who represented Japan at the Asian Games, Aiko brings firsthand athletic experience to her coverage of judo, martial arts, and Olympic sports. Beyond combat sports, Aiko covers breaking sports news, major international events, and the stories that cut across disciplines — from doping scandals to governance issues to the business side of global sport. She is passionate about elevating the profile of underrepresented sports and athletes.

Related Articles

Leave a Comment