Hamam al-Sammara

[3] Although rumored to date back to pre-Islamic times in Gaza, a plaque in the lobby of the bathhouse proclaims that Hamam al-Sammara was restored in 1320 by the Mamluk governor of the city Sanjar al-Jawli.

However, they were faced with an ancient water heating system and traditional bathhouse that no longer functioned properly and which would be extremely costly to repair.

[2] Therefore, the Islamic University of Gaza and the United Nations Development Programme partly restored Hamam as-Sammara after it was nearly demolished due to rising costs of maintenance.

The final stage involved wading in the maghtas, a small pool filled with hot water, about a meter deep.

[1] Bathhouses are used as a folk remedy for rheumatism and infertility, and it was customary for mothers to bring their 40-day-old infants to Hamam as-Sammara for a blessing.