Gaza was one of the five principal cities of the Philistines, located on the Mediterranean coastal plain in southwest Canaan. In Acts 8:26, an angel directs Philip toward the road leading to Gaza, described as desert—either the desert road or indicating Gaza's desolate condition after destruction. The city features prominently in Old Testament narratives (Samson, Joshua's conquest). All translations preserve the name (Spanish Gáza, French/German Gaza), recognizing it as a major geographic and historical landmark on the ancient highway connecting Egypt with Syria and Mesopotamia.