Yasser Arafat International Airport

The airport was closed for military and security reasons by Israel during the Second Intifada. The Israeli government stated that the closure was necessary to prevent the smuggling of weapons into the Gaza Strip and to restrict the movement of militants. The destruction of its key infrastructure was a strategic action to assert control over the borders of the Gaza Strip and isolate the Palestinian Authority.

The airport site is completely derelict and in ruins. The runway and tarmac are destroyed and unusable. The main passenger terminal, noted for its Islamic-style architecture, is heavily damaged but still partially standing, though it has been stripped of all valuable materials. The control tower and other critical infrastructure were completely destroyed. The site is a wreck, strewn with rubble and debris, and serves as a stark reminder of the conflict. It is not used for any official purpose and is inaccessible as a functional facility.

Yasser Arafat International Airport was a powerful symbol of Palestinian sovereignty and a major step towards statehood. Opened on November 24, 1998, its construction was a key outcome of the Oslo II Accord. The airport was designed by Moroccan architects and built with funding from Japan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Germany. It was operated by the Palestinian Civil Aviation Authority and served as the home base for Palestinian Airlines. When active, it handled up to 700,000 passengers annually, with regular flights to destinations in the Middle East and North Africa, including Amman, Cairo, Jeddah, Dubai, and Doha. It also handled VIP and cargo flights. The airport's IATA code was GZA and its ICAO code was LVGZ. For a brief period, it was the only air gateway for Palestinians in the Palestinian territories to the outside world, not under direct Israeli military control.

There are currently no viable plans or immediate prospects for reopening the airport. The reopening has been a consistent demand by Palestinian leaders in various negotiations, including the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access following Israel's disengagement from Gaza, but these agreements were never implemented. Any prospect of rebuilding and reopening is contingent upon a fundamental change in the political and security situation, including a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians and the lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip. Given the immense cost of reconstruction and the ongoing conflict, the reopening of the airport remains a distant and politically unfeasible goal for the foreseeable future.