From ancient crossroads to terror stronghold: Gaza’s tragic path
The Gaza Strip is a narrow coastal enclave, just 141 square miles, where more than 2 million Palestinians live in one of the most crowded places on Earth. Once a modest outpost of larger empires, Gaza has become a flashpoint of Islamist extremism and humanitarian crisis. The horrors of Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists stormed into southern Israel, massacred more than 1,200 people, and dragged hundreds of hostages into Gaza, did not happen in a vacuum. They were the culmination of decades of misrule, radicalization, and neglect.
A Long History of Conflict
Gaza’s strategic location has made it a prize for empires since ancient times. It was a Philistine stronghold in the era of Samson, later ruled by Egyptians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. The Bible records both its conquest and its corruption, with prophets condemning Gaza for violence and oppression.
In modern times, Gaza was folded into the British Mandate after the Ottoman Empire fell. When Israel was founded in 1948, Egypt seized Gaza and installed Haj Amin al-Husseini—the infamous Nazi collaborator—as leader. His militancy injected jihadist ideology deep into Palestinian politics. Egypt eventually dissolved his government, but the seeds of radicalism were planted.
After Israel’s victory in the 1967 Six-Day War, Jewish communities flourished in Gaza under military protection, exporting produce abroad. Yet Palestinian violence escalated, culminating in the Second Intifada. In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza, uprooting its settlements in a painful disengagement. Many Israelis now see that move as a tragic mistake. Hamas quickly turned the vacated territory into a fortress of terror.
Hamas Seizes Power
Despite warnings, the United States pushed for Palestinian elections in 2006. Hamas won and promptly rejected all agreements with Israel. Civil war erupted with Fatah, and by 2007 Hamas had seized full control of Gaza.
Since then, Hamas has rained thousands of rockets on Israeli towns, using civilians as human shields and funneling resources into tunnels and weapons instead of hospitals and schools. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it plainly in 2010: “The Gaza Strip is controlled by a murderous terrorist organization… which, through its violent actions directed indiscriminately at citizens—men, women, and children—violates every possible rule of international law.”
Hamas’s power has been bolstered by Iran, which supplies rockets, cash, and training. This alliance allows Tehran to attack Israel by proxy while sacrificing Gazans to endless war.
The UN’s Complicity
Another tragedy is the role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA. Instead of resettling refugees, UNRWA has perpetuated their statelessness for generations, teaching hatred in its schools and tolerating Hamas infiltration. More than half of Gaza’s residents still live in UNRWA camps—proof that the agency has failed its mission. By keeping Palestinians in limbo, UNRWA has made them pawns in a larger political game.
A Humanitarian Crisis Ignored
The statistics are grim: unemployment at 40 percent, poverty at nearly the same level, collapsing infrastructure, and one of the world’s fastest-growing populations. Seventy percent of Gazans say they would leave if they could. Yet Hamas spends scarce resources on rockets, not relief. International donors look the other way while Iran stirs the pot.
This combustible mix made Gaza a ticking time bomb. Oct. 7 was the deadly detonation.
What Must Be Done
There are no easy answers for Gaza, but two urgent steps are clear. First, dismantle UNRWA and redirect its billions toward permanent resettlement and development, rather than sustaining dependency. Second, remove Hamas from power and replace it with a civil government willing to coexist with Israel and care for its people.
Until then, Gazans remain trapped—hostages not only of Hamas but of an international community too timid to confront failure. For their sake, and for regional peace, decisive leadership is needed now.
Dr. Susan Michael is the U.S.A. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, Director of the American Christian Leaders for Israel network and creator of the Israel Answers website. She is the author of Encounter the 3D Bible and hundreds of articles located on her blog.
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