Deir al-Balah is located in the District of Gaza, Palestine. According to 1945 British Mandate village statistics, the population reached 2,560 residents. The town encompassed approximately 14,735 dunums of total land. Arab ownership dominated the landscape with 13,043 dunums, while Jewish land holdings comprised only 262 dunums and public lands accounted for 1,430 dunums.
Agricultural activity formed the foundation of Deir al-Balah's economy. The 1945 statistics reveal that 11,067 dunums were planted with cereal crops, demonstrating grain cultivation's prominence. Additionally, the town maintained 835 dunums of irrigated and plantation land and 327 dunums of citrus groves.
The town's name derives from its abundant date palm trees — "balah" meaning dates in Arabic. This agricultural heritage made the town notable for palm cultivation. The municipality also contains the Mosque of al-Khidr (Prophet Elijah), an important religious landmark that remains a cultural and spiritual center for the community. Historical records document an old British cemetery and traditional water wheels (naoura) used for irrigation during the early twentieth century.
