The Gaza Strip, home to more than 2.3 million people, has been a flashpoint in the Middle East since Hamas militants attacked Israel in October 2023. President Donald Trump’s suggestion this week that the United States should “take over” the area and resettle displaced Palestinians outside the area has increased tensions.
Here are some things to know about the Gaza Strip.
Where is the Gaza Strip?
The Gaza Strip is an area that is 25 miles long and 6 miles wide, according to NPR. It is surrounded by Israel to the north and east, Egypt to the south and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the north and east and Egypt to the south.
The area is contained by walls and fences built by Israel, according to Gisha, an Israeli nonprofit organization.
Gaza is about 139 square miles, or more than twice the size of Washington, D.C., CBS News reported. Its border with Israel measures about 36 miles, and it shares an 8-mile border with Egypt.
Gaza is one of two Palestinian territories in the area, the news outlet reported. The other is the West Bank, which is controlled by Israel.
Gaza’s history
Gaza was part of what was known as Palestine before Israel was created in 1948. It was part of the Ottoman Empire before the area -- including Israel -- was occupied by the British.
In 1948, more than 750,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes after Israel was created, NPR reported. The mass uprooting is called the Nakba, or “catastrophe, according to The Associated Press.
After Israel defeated a coalition of Arab states, the Egyptian army was left in control of a small strip of land wedged between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea, the AP reported.
The Gaza Strip was seized by Israel during the “Six-Day War” in June 1967, along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the news outlet reported.
In 2005, Israel withdrew its troops from the Gaza Strip and between 7,000 and 9,000 settlers left the area, according to CBS News.
In 2006, the Hamas movement led in the territory’s election, defeating the Palestinian Authority, the governing body in charge of Palestinian-populated areas, the news outlet reported. In 2007, the militant group expelled the Palestinian Authority and took over by force. There have not been elections in the Strip for 16 years, NPR reported.
The Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and around 250 people were taken hostage, according to the AP. About 80 hostages remain in Gaza.
© 2025 Cox Media Group
