ves ▁owned ▁by ▁the ▁Ab u ▁Holy ▁and ▁Ab u ▁Re zi q ▁families ." ▁ ▁During ▁fa ction al ▁cl ash es ▁across ▁the ▁Gaz a ▁St rip ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁which ▁ended ▁with ▁Ham as ▁gain ing ▁control ▁over ▁that ▁territory , ▁at ▁least ▁four ▁par amil itar ies ▁from ▁Ham as ▁and ▁F ata h ▁were ▁killed ▁in ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁was ▁sh elled ▁by ▁the ▁Isra eli ▁Army ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁its ▁month - long ▁off ensive ▁Operation ▁Cast ▁Le ad . ▁ ▁Geography ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah ▁is ▁situated ▁in ▁the ▁central ▁Gaz a ▁St rip , ▁along ▁the ▁coast line ▁of ▁the ▁eastern ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea . ▁Its ▁city ▁center ▁is ▁about ▁ ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁coast ▁while ▁the ▁ancient ▁site ▁of ▁Dar um ▁was ▁un cover ed ▁ ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁central ▁De ir ▁al - Bal ah . ▁While ▁the ▁city ' s ▁municipal ▁borders ▁stretch ▁east ward ▁toward ▁the ▁border ▁with ▁Israel , ▁its ▁urban ▁area ▁does ▁not ▁extend ▁beyond ▁the ▁main ▁Sal ah ▁al - D in ▁Highway ▁to ▁the ▁east . ▁ ▁Near by ▁local ities ▁include ▁N use irat ▁Camp ▁and ▁B ure ij ▁Camp ▁to ▁the ▁north , ▁Mag h azi ▁Camp ▁to ▁the ▁n ortheast ▁and ▁W adi ▁as - Sal qa ▁to ▁the ▁south . ▁Khan ▁Y un is ▁is