Ayn Gazal was occupied on the 26th of July 1948. Its location is 21 km south of Haifa. ‘Ayn Ghazal inhabitants were
mostly expelled eastward to Jinin (West Bank). The village has been mostly destroyed with the exception of the village shrine. According to the Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi, the village remaining structures on the village land are:
“The dilapidated shrine of Shaykh Shahada is the only standing structure on the village site. Ruins of walls and piles of stones can be seen all over the site, as well as stands of pine, cactus, and fig and pomegranate trees. “
‘Ayn Ghazal had two schools: the 1st was an elementary school for boys which was founded by the Ottomans in 1886, and the 2nd school was an elementary school for girls.
In 1931, the number of houses were 247 and in 1948 there were 432 houses.
Land ownership before occupation
| Ethnic Group | Land Ownership (Dunums) |
|---|---|
| Arab | 14,628 |
| Jewish | 424 |
| Public | 3,027 |
| Total | 18,079 |
Land usage in 1945
| Land Usage Type | Arab (Dunum) | Jewish (Dunum) |
|---|---|---|
| Irrigated & Plantation | 1,486 | 0 |
| Area planted w/ olives | 1,400 | 0 |
| Planted W/ Cereal | 8,472 | 427 |
| Built up | 130 | 0 |
| Cultivable | 9,958 | 424 |
| Non-Cultivable | 7,567 | 0 |
Population before occupation
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 19th century | 450 |
| 1922 | 1,046 |
| 1931 | 1,439 |
| 1945 | 2,170 |
| 1948 | 2,517 |
| Est. Refugees 1998 | 15,458 |
Source: Palestineremembered.com
