al-Jura

The village is located on a flat patch of land surrounded by sand dunes less than a kilometer from the seashore, and 20 kilometers from Gaza, with an average elevation of 25 meters above sea level. It was also known as the Ashkelon Valley and was considered a summer resort for the residents of Majdal due to its moderate climate. In 1945, the population of the village reached 2,420, distributed over 396 houses. They depended on fishing, birds, and agriculture.

Displacement

The village was occupied with the occupation of Majdal on November 4-5, 1948, at the end of Operation Yoav, as the village was one of the first targets bombed in this operation. The villagers likely fled to the Gaza Strip due to the occupation and preliminary air raids along the coastal area.

Colonization

In 1948, the city of Ashkelon was established on the village lands.

The Village Today

Today, only one house remains in the village and the site is overgrown with blackberry and jujube bushes, and no Ashkelon houses have been built on it.