Deir al-Balah is a city in the center of the Gaza Strip, Palestine, and the administrative capital of the Deir al-Balah Governorate. It is located over 14 kilometers south of Gaza City. The city had a population of 75,132 in 2017. The city is known for its date palms, after which it is named.

In the beginning of December, during the second month of the Gaza war, Israeli tanks cut off the passage from Khan Yunis to Deir al-Balah. The Israeli campaign, which was intended to target members of Hamas in the center region of the Gaza Strip, brought down multiple apartment buildings. While resulting in the death of a Hamas commander, the bombing campaign has overwhelmed the Shuhada Al-Aqsa Hospital staff with patients. Doctors described the bombing campaign on December 3 as a bloody day.

In December 2023, the Jaffa Mosque was destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Deir al-Balah 

In July 2025, the IDF began a ground advance towards Deir al-Balah for the first time during the war.