The tribes, clans, and families in the Gaza Strip are family blocs led by mukhtars (tribal sheikhs) upon which the social system in the Strip is based. Its roots go back to the tribal system prevailing in traditional Arab societies, and its presence was strengthened during the era of the late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
Despite the decline in the presence of the tribe among a wide spectrum of the Palestinian people due to the consequences of the Israeli occupation, it is still strongly present in many areas.