Jabalia, also spelled Jabalya (Arabic: جباليا), is a city in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, located 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) north of Gaza City, in the North Gaza Governorate of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, Jabalia had a population of 172,704 in 2017. In addition to Jabalia, the city municipality contains the Jabalia refugee camp and the town of Nazla, the latter of which was an independent village council before being merged with Jabalia.
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👉 Jabalia in the context of Siege of North Gaza
The siege of North Gaza was an engagement of the Gaza war in the North Gaza Governorate, Gaza Strip, between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian forces. It began on 5 October 2024 when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reinvaded Jabalia and its refugee camp for the first time in months since earlier fighting.
The siege was reportedly part of Israel's "generals' plan" to force Palestinians out of northern Gaza by designating it a combat zone and issuing evacuation orders to civilians under threat of death. The IDF imposed a complete siege on northern Gaza, cutting it off from Gaza City by destroying most of the roads leading south and preventing the entry of aid. Evacuations were hindered, however, by Israeli bombardments and shootings of fleeing civilians, leaving many trapped. Human rights groups raised concerns of war crimes, and Israeli actions were characterized as ethnic cleansing and genocide. Israel attacked hospitals and medical infrastructure, as international bodies warned of disastrous conditions in Jabalia.
In this Dossier
Jabalia in the context of Attacks on schools during the Israeli invasion of Gaza
Since the outbreak of the Gaza war on 7 October 2023, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has conducted attacks (including numerous airstrikes) on more than 200 educational facilities, including universities, in the Gaza Strip.
By late March 2024, the United Nations recorded more than 200 Israeli attacks on schools in Gaza, with at least 53 schools totally destroyed. By July 2024, all 19 Gaza universities had suffered severe damage with 80% of university buildings destroyed, 103 academics killed, and 90,000 students enrolled in higher education no longer able to pursue their studies. In June 2024, UNOCHA stated 76 percent of Gaza's schools required "full reconstruction or major rehabilitation", and in August 2024, UNICEF stated 564, or 85 percent, of all schools in Gaza had been hit by Israeli attacks. In May 2025, an estimated 95% of school buildings had been damaged or destroyed.
Jabalia in the context of Jabalia refugee camp
Jabalia Camp (Arabic: مخيّم جباليا) is a Palestinian refugee camp in the North Gaza Governorate of the Gaza Strip, 3 kilometers (1.9 mi) north of Jabalia. It is the closest camp to the Erez Crossing between Gaza and Israel. Jabalia Camp is the largest refugee camp in Palestine, with more than 100,000 inhabitants. The camp only covers an area of 1.4 km (0.54 sq mi), making it one of the most densely populated areas in the Gaza Strip.
The camp was established in 1948 by the United Nations to house those displaced by the 1948 Palestinian expulsion. Originally composed of tents and other temporary structures, over time the population grew and the camp developed into a densely populated urban area with multi-story buildings.
Jabalia in the context of Battle of Jabalia
The battle of Jabalia was a battle fought between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian forces in Jabalia in the Gaza Strip, as part of the ongoing Gaza war.
It began on 8 November 2023 as part of the 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, and ended its first phase in late January 2024 with an Israeli withdrawal. Following this, the two sides intermittently clashed in Jabalia, and then a three-week Israeli offensive in May 2024 ended with a final Israeli withdrawal and Hamas continuing to retain control.