▁with ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 3 , 2 5 3 ▁students ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁Gh az ir ' s ▁name ▁is ▁derived ▁from ▁Arab ic ▁root ▁words ▁for ▁" he avy ▁ra ins ", ▁and ▁the ▁town ▁is ▁known ▁for ▁its ▁numerous ▁ground water ▁res erves . ▁Gh az ir ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁three ▁major ▁parts : ▁Gh az ir ▁el - F aw ka , ▁Central ▁Gh az ir , ▁and ▁K far h b ab . ▁The ▁inhabitants ▁of ▁Gh az ir ▁are ▁pre domin antly ▁Mar on ite ▁C athol ics . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁M aml uk ▁period ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁century , ▁when ▁Gh az ir ▁was ▁a ▁small ▁village , ▁the ▁M aml uk ▁army ▁inv aded ▁K es er wan ▁and ▁destroyed ▁Gh az ir ▁among ▁other ▁villages ▁of ▁the ▁district . ▁However , ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁local ▁Mar on ite ▁milit ias ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁rep el ▁the ▁Mam lu ks . ▁The ▁latter ▁returned ▁in ▁ 1 3 0 5 , ▁launch ing ▁a ▁third ▁surprise ▁off ensive ▁against ▁the ▁K es er w ani ▁Mar on ites , ▁mass ac ring ▁or ▁ex iling ▁many ▁of ▁them . ▁According ▁to ▁Leb an ese ▁historian ▁Kam al ▁Sal ib i , ▁the ▁Mam lu ks ' ▁target ▁in ▁the ▁K es er wan ▁campaign s ▁were ▁the ▁A law ite ▁and ▁Sh ia ▁Muslim s ▁who ▁domin ated ▁the ▁region . ▁After ward ,