Reviewing the Book of the History of Gaza by Aref Al-Aref

Abstract

The book of the History of Gaza, written by Aref al-Aref while staying in Gaza city, was published by Dar al-Aytam al-Islamiyya Press, located in Jerusalem in 1943. At that time, Aref al-Aref assumed the position of sub-governor of the Gaza district (Ottoman district officer) in Gaza in the period from 1940 to 1944. The book consists of 356 pages and contains mid-sized paragraphs. The author addresses the history of Gaza sequentially over time. He starts by talking about its position, historical significance, different historical names, and the meaning of each name. Then, he turns to talk about Gaza's first builders, the peoples that inhabited Gaza since ancient times, the historical times, the nations that ruled it until the Islamic conquest, and the conditions of Gaza city during the different Islamic ages. Furthermore, he elaborates on the Ottoman rule period until the British Mandate that resulted in the fall of Gaza under the British rule where the author himself experienced these events and wrote about them. After that, he devotes an entire chapter to Gaza until the year 1943. The last chapter of the book is devoted to talking about the people of Gaza and their manners, morals, clothes, and festivals. The author also talks about Gaza's economic, social, and cultural circumstances.