Late Ottoman Gaza

In contemporary public discourse Gaza tends to be characterized solely as a theatre of the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. However little is known about Gaza's society politics economy and culture during the Ottoman era. Drawing on a range of previously untapped local and imperial sources Yuval Ben-Bassat and Johann Buessow explore the city's history from the mid-nineteenth century through WWI. They show that Gaza's historical importance extends far beyond the territory of the 'strip' since the city was an important hub for people goods and ideas in the Eastern Mediterranean from Antiquity until the twentieth century. Using new digital methodologies Ben-Bassat and Buessow introduce readers to the world of Gazans from various walks of life from the traditional Muslim elites to the commoners and minority communities of Christians and Jews. In so doing they tell the lively story of this significant but frequently misunderstood city.