It was located 19 km northeast of Gaza in the city territory of modern Ashkelon.

[8] Ni'ilya was incorporated into the Ottoman Empire in 1517 with the rest of Palestine, and according to the 1596 tax records,[9] the village formed part of the nahiya (subdistrict) of Gaza, part of Gaza Sanjak, with a population of 70 households and 10 bachelors, or an estimated 440 people.

[9][10] During the 17th and 18th centuries, the area of Ni'ilya experienced a significant process of settlement decline due to nomadic pressures on local communities.

The village had a mosque which contained ancient fragments, such as trunks of marble columns.

[14][15] In 1883 the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine described Ni'ilya as a village resembling Barbara.

His report said: "Mosque on sand dune outside village on the South (see sketch plan).

An additional 1,436 dunums were irrigated or used for plantations,[19] while 29 dunams were built-up, urban, land.

The IDF troops were ordered to carry out the operation "with determination, accuracy and energy".

The troops found "about 40" villagers in Barbara and al-Jiyya, "composed of women, old men and children", who offered no resistance.

One house that had probably been built in a fruit orchard still stands and is currently inhabited by a Palestinian family.