Dayr Sunayd

The village was situated close to the seashore on the coastal highway. It had a railway station that connected Gaza to the south and the city of al-Majdal to the north. It is located 12 Km north of Gaza and has an average elevation of 50 meters above sea level. It had two valleys; al-Abed valley to the north and al-Hasi to the south.

The village had a population of 62 in 1596 during the Ottoman era. It increased to 730 people in 1945. Its economy was based mainly on agriculture such as cereals, fruits, citrus, and some trade.

Displacement and ethnic cleansing
It was bombed from the air at the beginning of Operation Yoav on October 15-16 and was bombed again on October 21. The village was occupied and displaced In late October – early November of 1948.

Colonization
There are no Israeli colonies on the village lands, but the colony of Yad Mordechai was established in 1943 directly north of the village lands.

The Village Today
Today, all that remains of the village are a railway bridge, some neglected parts of the line, three railway station buildings, and a stone bridge built over a valley, and spanning four wide arches. The station buildings are deserted and dilapidated, while cacti, eucalyptus, jujube, and thorn trees grow on the site, and the surrounding lands are cultivated.

Reference: Walid Al-Khalidi, Lest We Forget, pp. 544, 545.