Esdud Collection

Esdud was an ancient Palestinian village, located in the southern coastal region of historic Palestine. It occupied a strategic position along the Mediterranean coast. It had 12 historical, archaeological sites and 10 shirnes. 

In 1945, according to the official 'Village Statistics, 1945' report, Esdud had a population of 4,910, with a total land area of 47,871 dunams (a measure of land). Some of this land was used for banana cultivation, cereal crops and plantations. The Nakba, meaning "catastrophe" in Arabic, in 1948 resulted in the forced displacement of all Palestinians from Esdud towards Gaza. Israel built four colonies on the land.