Meanwhile, in February 1799, Bonaparte entered Palestine, first occupying Gaza and then moving north along the coastal plain, where eventually laid siege to Jaffa. Jaffa was defended by al-Jazzar's troops, but they surrendered during the siege in return for French promises that they would not be killed. However, in custody al-Jazzar's troops were not given food or shelter, and after several days French forces marched them, 3,000 or 4,000 in all, to the sand dunes of Jaffa's shore and executed them by bayonet over the course of several days. Simultaneous with the execution of al-Jazzar's troops, a plague afflicted Bonaparte's troops, resulting in numerous deaths.