[1][2][3] Developed in Israel at the Ne´ve Yaar Research Center of the Agricultural Research Organisation by the melon breeder Dr. Zvi Karchi,[1] and released in 1973, the Galia melon was named after Karchi's daughter, whose name means "God's wave" in Hebrew.

They have a rounded shape, a dense netting of rough lines on the skin, and become yellow at full maturity; they are sweet and aromatic, with a special aroma and flavor and a very high content of total soluble solids (values up to 18° are possible, although the minimum value to be considered commercially mature is 11°).

Ripeness is measured not by softness at the stem, but rather by color of the skin, when it starts turning from green to yellow.

[6] Left at room temperature, Galia keeps well, but after cutting, uneaten pieces should be wrapped and refrigerated to preserve flavor.

Galias are now grown in Algeria, Brazil, Guatemala, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Southern US regions, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, Greece, Turkey, Israel, and Egypt.