History of Gaza - Egyptian Occupation

Egyptian Occupation

See also: Occupation of the Gaza Strip by Egypt

As a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Egypt obtained control of Gaza and the surrounding area. Gaza's growing population was augmented by an influx of refugees fleeing nearby cities, towns and villages that were captured by Israel.

From 1948 through 1959, Gaza was nominally under the jurisdiction of the All-Palestine Government, an entity established by the Arab League during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, purportedly to provide a Palestinian government for Palestine. However, the members of the Government were removed to Cairo, and had little or no influence over events in Gaza. Egyptian occupation of the Gaza Strip was interrupted for four months during the 1956 Suez Crisis.

Upon the withdrawal of Israeli forces, Nasser issued several reforms in Gaza, including the expansion of educational opportunities and civil services, provision of housing and the establishment of local security forces. As in Egypt, political activity in Gaza was severely curtailed, but the government-sponsored Arab National Union was established in place of the All-Palestine Government that Nasser abolished in 1959, which gave the city's citizens a greater voice in national politics.

In 1959 with the abolishment of the All-Palestine Government, Gaza had officially become a part of the United Arab Republic, a union of Syria and Egypt, under the pan-Arab policy of Nasser. In reality however, Gaza turned to be under direct Egyptian military governorship, which also continued upon the withdrawal of Syria from UAR shortly afterwards. When the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) was founded in 1964, Nasser formally, but not practically, proclaimed that it would hold authority over Gaza, and a year later, conscription was instituted for the Palestinian Liberation Army.