One of BBC History Magazine's Books of the Year The world's eyes are on the Gaza Strip. After
more than a year of Israeli military bombardment it is the scene of unimaginable destruction.
It is also one of the most politically significant territories on the planet. Yet how many of
us know anything of its history? In this vital book Anne Irfan a leading historian of
Palestine-Israel examines six key moments that bring us to the present day. She begins with
Israel's expulsion of the Palestinian people in 1948 when Israel was established and the Gaza
region was truncated to a tiny territory of just 141 square miles. Going on to detail Israel's
occupations of Gaza the Palestinian national struggle and formation of the PLO the first
intifada the creation of the Palestinian Authority and the rise of Hamas Irfan argues that
collectively these events help explain how we have arrived at the catastrophe of the 2020s and
the genocidal violence unleashed by Israel in Gaza after the Hamas-led attacks of October 7.
Written with remarkable clarity A Short History of the Gaza Strip draws on a decade of
meticulous research weaving in the voices and stories of Palestinians from farmers and
teachers to poets and activists. It is an indispensable read for anyone seeking to deepen their
knowledge of Palestine and the wider region. In Irfan's words 'History matters especially in
Palestine' - and never more so than today.
