Description

‘An excellent primer . . . Essential reading’ GUARDIAN

*

History matters, especially in Palestine.

In this essential account, historian Anne Irfan reveals the long-term roots of Israel’s genocidal destruction of Gaza. She examines six key moments in its history that provide vital context for the present day, beginning with Israel’s expulsion of the Palestinian people in 1948, when the Gaza region was truncated to a tiny ‘Strip’ of 141 square miles, through to Israel’s occupations, the first intifada and the rise of Hamas. Drawing on a decade of meticulous research, she cuts through the misinformation and conflicting narratives to tell a story that begins long before the Hamas-led attacks of October 7 and centres Gaza as a microcosm of the Palestinian struggle. Clear-sighted and compassionate, this is an account that foregrounds the voices of Palestinians of all walks of life, from farmers and teachers to poets and activists.

A Short History of the Gaza Strip is an indispensable primer for anyone seeking to deepen their knowledge of Palestine and the wider region.

*

‘Brings an unsparing moral clarity and deep insight to this timely, scholarly, humane and profoundly tragic tale’ WILLIAM DALRYMPLE, NEW STATESMAN

‘Wonderfully informative, nuanced, humane’ BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE Book of the Year

‘Written with passion, precision and clarity’ IRISH INDEPENDENT

Publisher Review

‘An excellent primer . . . essential reading for those hungry to know more about this ancient territory so as to better understand the current, desperate chapter in its history’

— William Dalrymple * Guardian * Explains with wonderful lucidity the context for Gaza’s catastrophe. It is a deeply depressing story, but one told by Irfan with erudition and nuance, bringing an unsparing moral clarity and deep insight to this timely, scholarly, humane and profoundly tragic tale * New Statesman * ‘Written with passion, precision and clarity’ * Irish Independent * ‘A wonderfully informative account of the complexities of the situation. Beginning in 1948, she guides us through these tangled events with great clarity, drawing on a vast array of sources. The text is nuanced, humane and critical at a time when too many assumptions and untruths are floating around’ * BBC History Magazine, Books of the Year * ‘The restrained clarity of this work provides a much-needed perspective on this fraught and bloody moment in history’ * Sydney Morning Herald * ‘Irfan explains the pressures building up to the explosion of violence’ * Financial Times * ‘Beautifully written, erudite, humane: an essential guide to understanding the way the Israeli settler colonial project in and around Gaza has evolved into a brutal genocide’ — Eyal Weizman, author of Hollow Land: The Architecture of Israel’s Occupation ‘A timely, short, highly informative history that is sure to dispel many of the misconceptions and misinformation circulating and currently widespread about Gaza. It will remind readers of what the area was like and what was lost in the course of Israel’s aggression, as well as recognising Gaza’s resilience. It could also help bring to the mind of readers the Gaza that was’ — Raja Shehadeh, author of What Does Israel Fear From Palestine? ‘In this stunning book, Anne Irfan contextualises the violence unfolding in Gaza today without losing sight of the humanity of Palestinians. She describes the horrors of history with a nuanced kindness and reminds us that these events are not all that matter – because the Palestinian people that experienced them matter too’ — Nadya Hajj, author of Networked Refugees ‘An incredible, informative and powerful book. It tells us that you can’t understand the current destruction of Gaza without going back to the beginning and then does exactly that, in such a readable and devastating way’ — Rachel Shabi, author of Off-White: The Truth About Antisemitism