[2] The synagogue was burned, likely in the first half of the 7th century; Ovadiah suggested that this could have coincided with the Sassanian or Arab conquests of the region.

It contained two mosaics with inscriptions in Greek and Hebrew; one of them featured a seated figure, thought to be a saint, with a harp.

[4] In contrast, archaeologist Michael Avi-Yonah interpreted the site as a synagogue based on the contents of the mosaics: Jewish names; the use of the phrase "the most holy site"; the seated figure with a lyre was labelled in Hebrew as 'David' and depicted in imperial clothing and therefore thought to be King David in the style of a depiction of Orpheus.

The mosaic was cleaned and the damaged area where David's head had been was replaced based on black and white photographs.

[11] When the Museum of the Good Samaritan near the Israeli settlement of Ma'ale Adumim in the West Bank opened in 2009 it featured the mosaic from the Gaza synagogue near the entrance.

[6] David's head is surrounded by a halo, which Avi-Yonah drew a parallel with a depiction of Abraham in a mosaic at Beth Alpha.

[19] The central inscription of the mosaic says: "We, Menachem and Yeshua, sons of the late Yishay, wood merchants, as a sign of admiration for the most holy site, donated this mosaic in the month of Luos, year 569" (corresponding to approximately July–August of the year 508; the census of the Jews of Gaza began with the expulsion of Gavinius, during the reign of Pompey, in 61 BCE).