Gaza’s Displaced Villages

Arab Saqrir (Arab Bu Suwayrih) The village was spread over a flat land area in the coastal plain, to the northeast of Isdud, 38 kilometers from Gaza, at an average elevation of 25 meters above sea level. Its original inhabitants were Muslim Bedouins who gradually settled the site, built stone houses, and became farmers. In 1945, the village’s population reached 390. Displacement The village was the target of the first operational proposal by the Haganah calling for the destru

The village was located in a region of rolling hills where the coastal plain meets the foothills of the Hebron Mountains. It was bordered to the west by Wadi Fatala, and was located south of the main road between Fallujah to the northwest and Beit Jibrin to the east. It is located 32 kilometers from Gaza at an average elevation of 125 meters above sea level. To the north of the village and on its summit is the shrine of Sheikh Ahmed al-Arini. The village’s population, numberi

The village is located on a small plateau in the coastal plain, with reddish-brown soil. The main Faluja-Majdal road passed through the southern end of the village. The British built a fortified police station west of the village on the same road, 27 kilometers from Gaza at an average elevation of 100 meters above sea level. The village’s Muslim population in 1945 numbered 660 people. To the west of the village on the main road were two archaeological sites: Khirbet Sheikh Mu

The village of ‘Abbas ('Abdis) was situated on a flat expanse of land in the southern coastal plain, bounded on the east by Wadi ‘Abbas. Two secondary roads connected the village to the main road linking al-Majdal with the Jaffa–Jerusalem highway, as well as to two nearby villages. In 1569, ‘Abbas was listed as a village in the Nahiya of Gaza (District of Gaza), with a population of 193. The villagers paid taxes on a variety of crops, including wheat, barley, sesame, and frui

Tal al-Turmus was situated on a low hill in the coastal plain, with Wadi al-Marj running along its southern outskirts. Secondary roads connected it to neighboring villages and to a main road leading southwest to al-Majdal. According to its inhabitants, Tal al-Turmus was established over a century ago. Its name appears to reflect the vegetation surrounding the area. The population, entirely Muslim, initially built their homes of brick on the hilltop. The village later expanded

The village of Simil stood atop a sandy hill located in the coastal plain, surrounded by several valleys. It was connected by secondary roads to the main highway between al-Majdal and Bayt Jibrin, near the road junction close to the village of Iraq al-Manshiyya. Additional roads—some paved and others unpaved—linked Simil to neighboring villages. It is believed that Simil was established by the Knights Hospitaller in 1168, during the Crusader period, as a defensive outpost for

Simsim was situated on a flat expanse of land in the southern coastal plain, surrounded by hills. Wadi Simsim ran along its southern edge. The village lay between the main coastal highway and a parallel road connecting Gaza to Julis, and was linked to both via secondary roads, as well as to neighboring villages. During the Crusader period, the village was referred to as "Simsim". In 1596, Simsim was listed as a village in the nahiya (subdistrict) of Gaza in the Gaza district,

Israeli buildings on the site of the village mosque (June 1987)

Al-Sawafir al-Gharbiyya was located in the coastal plain, to the north of the main road running northeast from the city of al-Majdal, where it intersected with the Jerusalem–Jaffa highway. The railway line leading to Gaza passed just north of the village. The descriptor "al-Gharbiyya" ("western") was added to distinguish it from two neighboring villages that shared the same root name—al-Sawafir. Together, the three villages formed a right-angled triangle, the longest side of

The village was situated on an elevated and mostly flat area of the coastal plain along the main road between the city of al-Majdal to the southwest and the Jerusalem-Jaffa main road. The British military camp known as Bir Tuvia was located approximately 3 kilometers southwest of the village. In 1569, Qastina was a village in the Gaza Subdistrict (Gaza District) with a population of 385. The villagers paid taxes on various crops such as wheat, barley, sesame, and fruit, in ad

The village of Na‘liya was built on a flat tract of land in the coastal plain, north of an earlier settlement that had been buried under sand dunes. When the dunes began encroaching on Na‘liya from the south, the villagers resisted by planting fruit trees to halt their advance. Secondary roads connected the village to the town of Al-Majdal, located about 3 kilometers to the southwest, and to the coastal highway, which lay at a short distance. In 1569, Na‘liya was registered a

The village of Najd stood on a flat elevated area in the southern coastal plain, overlooking the surrounding agricultural lands. It was connected by secondary roads to several points along the main Gaza–Al-Majdal highway and to neighboring villages. In 1596, Najd was recorded as a village in the Gaza subdistrict (Liwa Gaza), with a population of 215. It paid taxes on a variety of agricultural products, including wheat, barley, and fruit, in addition to other forms of producti

The village of Al-Muharraqa was located at a bend in a valley on undulating land in the southern coastal plain. A secondary road connected it to nearby villages and to the Gaza–Beersheba highway. During the Mamluk period (1250–1517), the village lands, along with the surplus of its agricultural produce, were endowed (waqf) to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and to another mosque in Gaza. In 1569, Al-Muharraqa was recorded as a village in the Gaza subdistrict (Liwa Gaza), wi

The village was located in the southern coastal plain, bordered to the north by Wadi al-Zarqa. It stretched in a northwestern-southeastern direction parallel to the wadi. A short road connected Al-Masmiyya al-Saghira to the main highways leading southwest to Al-Majdal, northeast to Al-Ramla, and to the main Jerusalem–Jaffa road. The village was referred to as "al-Saghira" (the smaller) to distinguish it from its twin, Al-Masmiyya al-Kabira (the larger). The village was establ

The village of Al-Masmiyya al-Kabira was located in the southern coastal plain and bordered by a wadi to the north. It sat at a crossroads connecting major roads leading southwest to the city of Al-Majdal, northeast to Al-Ramla, and to the main Jerusalem–Jaffa highway. The Sufi traveler from Damascus, Mustafa al-Bakri al-Siddiqi, mentioned Al-Masmiyya during his visit to the region in the mid-18th century (as noted in Khalidi). In the late 18th century, the French scholar and

The village of Al-Khisas was located in the northern part of the Hula Plain, on a natural terrace approximately 100 meters wide. This terrace was formed thousands of years ago as a result of the shrinking of the ancient Lake Hula, which once covered the entire Hula Basin. The Hasbani River flowed west of Al-Khisas, cutting its course through the mountains. A secondary road connected the village to a main road leading to Safad and Tiberias, while another secondary road linked

The village was built on undulating land with reddish-brown soil, in the southern coastal plain, and was located on a highway built by the British during World War II along the coastal highway leading to it and passing through Gaza and Julis. It is located 25 kilometers from Gaza and at an average elevation of 100 meters above sea level. The village shared an elementary school with the villages of Beit Tima and Hulayqat, and there were two sources of water in its eastern land

The village was located in a undulating sandy spot in the northern Negev and a network of secondary roads connected it to the public roads between Gaza and Julis, which passed along the coastal highway, 19 kilometers from Gaza and at an average elevation of 150 meters above sea level. In 1945, the population of the village reached 500 people, all of whom were Muslims. In the center of the village, there was a well-known mosque that was built during the days of Sultan Abdul Ha