It is the capital of Bir al-Abd Markaz, located on the international coastal road on the shores of Lake Bardawil.

On 9 August 1916, the Battle of Bir el Abd, which was part of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War, occurred.

British patrols discovered them on 8 August and the remainder of the ANZAC Division got into a position to attack the next day.

[2] On 24 November 2017, in the al-Rawda mosque near the town, known as the birthplace of the founder of Sufism in the Sinai Peninsula, was attacked by around forty gunmen during Friday prayers.

[8] On 12 October 2019, a blast killed nine members from the same family when they were returning from an olive farm and wounded the other six during the battle against the insurgency in the area.