Zeitoun, Gaza should not be confused with Zaytun Quarter.
| Zeitoun | |
| Settlement Type: | Neighborhood |
| Official Name: | Zaitoun |
| Pushpin Map: | Palestine Gaza |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in the Gaza Strip |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
| Subdivision Type: | State |
| Subdivision Name: | State of Palestine |
| Subdivision Type1: | Governorate |
| Subdivision Name1: | Gaza Governorate |
| Subdivision Type2: | City |
| Subdivision Name2: | Gaza |
| Unit Pref: | Metric |
| Population Blank1 Title: | Ethnicities |
| Population Blank2 Title: | Religions |
| Timezone: | EET |
| Utc Offset: | +2 |
| Timezone Dst: | +3 |
| Coordinates: | 31.4912°N 34.4441°W |
Zeitoun (Arabic: الزيتون||[[Olive|olives]]) is a district of Gaza, located in the southern part of the city.
See main article: Zeitoun killings.
It was built in the 1930s and 1940s as Gaza developed outside its center. Much of the funding for the initial construction is attributed to foreign institutions, such as missionary hospitals.[1] After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, with the influx of Palestinian refugees, Zeitoun's population swelled. Ahmed Yassin's family settled the district in the 1950s.[2]
During the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a ground incursion in the area, occupying the district. During this period, 48 Palestinians, mostly from three families, were killed. In addition, 27 homes, a number of farms, and a mosque were destroyed.