1948 Arab-Israeli War, and After
Iraq al-Manshiyya was in the territory allotted to the Arab state under the 1947 UN Partition Plan.
However, it was captured by Israel's Alexandroni Brigade on March 1, 1949 from Egyptian forces in Operation Yoav. The Egyptian Army controlled the area - which included al-Faluja - surrounded by Israeli forces. After Egypt and Israel negotiated an armistice agreement, the Israeli Defense Forces intimidated the inhabitants to flee.
A kibbutz named Gat was established in 1941 on lands that traditionally belonged to the village; it took over additional lands after the expulsion of the villagers. In 1954 Qiryat Gat was established on village land, and in 1956 Sde Moshe was established on village land east of the village site.
According to the Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi, the structures on the village land in 1992 are: "A forest of eucalyptus has been planted on the site, and two signs, each in both Hebrew and English, identify it as "Margolin Peace Forest." Only traces of the village streets remain, along with scattered cactuses. Part of the surrounding land is cultivated by Israeli farmers."
The shrine stood until at least 1946, when it was inspected by the Antiquities Department. During the 1950s it was described as being in very ruinous condition, and Petersen, inspecting it in 1994, found no inscriptions or standing structures; an outline on the ground were the only visible remains of the building.
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