 In 1971 , the Israeli Army attempted to disperse the high concentration of Palestinian refugees in al @-@ Shati camp and developed new housing schemes that resulted in the establishment of the northern Sheikh Radwan district . The United Nations Relief and Works Agency ( UNRWA ) and the PLO were vociferous in their opposition to the move , claiming it was forced resettlement . In 1972 , Gaza 's military governor dismissed the city 's mayor , Rashad al @-@ Shawa , for refusing to annex al @-@ Shati camp to the municipality of Gaza . Since the 1970s , frequent conflicts erupted between Palestinians and the Israeli authorities in the city , leading to the First Intifada in 1987 . Gaza became a center of confrontation during this uprising , and consequently , economic conditions in the city worsened . 
