Gaza, a coastal city, is the southernmost of the five major Philistine cities.

• Gaza, which played an important economic and strategic role throughout the biblical periods, is located on the main road between Egypt and Aram Naharayyim, otherwise known as the Way of the Land of the Plishtim (Exodus 13, 17).
• Gaza is described as forming part of the southern border of the Land of Canaan (Genesis 10, 19; Joshua 10, 41; I Kings 5, 4).
• According to some sources, Gaza was captured by the tribe of Yehuda (Joshua 15, 47; Judges 1, 18).
• In contrast to the above, another part of  Yehoshua  describes Gaza as part of the remaining area not yet conquered by Yehoshua (Joshua 13, 3).
• Shimshon fought against the Plishtim in Gaza and was imprisoned there (Judges 16, 1-3, 21).
• Shlomo “had dominion over all the region over this side of the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza” (I Kings 5, 4, JPS 1917).
• Hizkiyahu routed Gaza as part of his rebellion against Assyria (II Kings 18, 8).
• Various prophecies portray enmity between Yehuda or Yisrael against Gaza (Amos 1, 6-7; Zephaniah 2, 4; Zechariah 9, 5, et al).