Ashkelon was formally granted to Israel in the 1949 Armistice Agreements. Re-population of the recently vacated Arab dwellings by Jews had been official policy since at least December 1948, but the process began slowly.  The Israeli national plan of June 1949 designated al-Majdal as the site for a regional Urban area of 20,000 people. From July 1949, new immigrants and demobilization soldiers moved to the new town, increasing the Jewish population to 2,500 within six months. These early immigrants were mostly from Yemen, North Africa, and Europe. During 1949, the town was renamed Migdal Gaza, and then Migdal Gad. Soon afterwards it became Migdal Ashkelon. The city began to expand as the population grew. In 1951, the neighborhood of Afridar was established for Jewish immigrants from South Africa, and in 1953 it was incorporated into the city. The current name Ashkelon was adopted and the town was granted Local council (Israel) status in 1953. In 1955, Ashkelon had more than 16,000 residents. By 1961, Ashkelon ranked 18th among Israeli urban centers with a population of 24,000. This grew to 43,000 in 1972 and 53,000 in 1983. In 2005, the population was more than 106,000.

Question: What was the former name of Midgal Gaza?
Answer: al-Majdal

Question: What was Migdal Gaza renamed?
Answer: Migdal Gad

Question: What was the previous name of Migdal Ashkelon?
Answer: Migdal Gad

Question: How many years after Afridar was established was it integrated into the city?
Answer: 2

Question: By how many people did the population of Ashkelon increase from 1955 to 1961?
Answer: 8000

Question: Was the population of Ashkelon higher in 1972 or 1983?
Answer: 1983

Question: How many more inhabitants did Ashkelon have in 2005 than in 1955?
Answer: 90000

Question: How many countries were the early immigrants mostly from?
Answer: 3

Question: What names was al-Majdal given?
Answer: Migdal Gaza

Question: Did Ashkelon grow more between 1955 and 1961 or between 1972 and 1983?
Answer: between 1972 and 1983

Question: How many more people were in Ashkelon in 2005 compared to 1955?
Answer: 90000

Question: How many more Ashelon residents in 1972 than in 1961
Answer: 19000

Question: Which year had the highest population in Ashkelon, 1972 or 1983?
Answer: 1983

Question: Did Ashkelon have more residents in 1955 or 1961?
Answer: 1961

Question: How many more residents lived in Ashkelon in 1961 than in 1955?
Answer: 8000

Question: How many more people lived in Ashkelon in 2005 than in 1955?
Answer: 90000

Question: How many more people lived in Ashkelon in 2005 than in 1983?
Answer: 53000

Question: How many more people lived in Ashkelon in 1983 than in 1972?
Answer: 10000

Question: How many people did the Ashkelon population increase by in 1980 from 1972?
Answer: 10000

Question: How many times did al-Majdal have a name change?
Answer: 3