Asia · Western Asia · Sovereign state
Current time in Palestine
A single time zone at UTC+03:00. Currently observing daylight saving time.
Sunday, May 31, 2026
About Palestine's time
A single time zone.
Palestine uses a single UTC+03:00 offset across two closely related zonesâAsia/Gaza and Asia/Hebronâboth observing daylight saving time. Small timing differences between Gaza and Hebron occasionally arise due to slightly different DST transition dates, which can create brief periods where the two cities are an hour apart.
Next clock change
2026 Friday · clocks fall back
Clocks fall back by one hour · in 5 months.
Daylight saving schedule
Major cities
Cities of Palestine.
History
How Palestine keeps time.
Palestineâs timezone setup has been shaped by its complex political history and overlapping administrative authorities. During the British Mandate period (1920â1948), the region followed Eastern European Time (UTC+02:00), aligning with Egypt and other neighboring territories under British influence. After 1948, the West Bank (including Hebron) came under Jordanian control and adopted Jordanâs time (UTC+02:00), while Gaza Strip followed Egyptian time (also UTC+02:00). Both regions observed DST according to their respective governing states.
Following the Oslo Accords in the 1990s and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, both the West Bank and Gaza began coordinating more closely on civil mattersâincluding timekeeping. However, because DST start and end dates were often announced independently by local authoritiesâor influenced by neighboring Israel, which has its own scheduleâthe two zones sometimes diverged slightly. These minor discrepancies led IANA to maintain two separate but nearly identical timezone entries: Asia/Gaza and Asia/Hebron.
In recent years, efforts to unify DST observance have reduced the gap, but historical and administrative differences persist in how and when clocks change, especially during periods of political tension between Gaza and the West Bank. As a result, the two zones remain distinct in the tz database despite sharing the same standard and daylight offsets.
Did you know?
Things about Palestine's time.
Despite being only about 70 km (43 miles) apart, Hebron and Gaza technically live in different timezonesâAsia/Hebron and Asia/Gazaâthough they are synchronized most of the year. The key quirk is that DST transitions donât always happen at the same time in both zones. For example, if one region delays or advances its clock due to local governance decisions, residents may find themselves temporarily out of sync, affecting cross-region coordination like business meetings or media broadcasts.
Palestineâs timezone practice mirrors Israelâs daylight saving schedule closely, given geographic and political proximity, but it is not identical. This means that even small policy differences can create confusion for travelers or remote workers assuming uniform timing across the region. Additionally, both Palestinian zones use UTC+03:00 during DST (EEST), placing them ahead of neighboring Jordan and Egypt during summer monthsâa notable regional inconsistency.
There are no unusual fractional hour offsets in Palestine, unlike nearby Iran (UTC+3:30) or Nepal (UTC+5:45), making it straightforward for international coordination. However, the dual-zone setup highlights how political divisions can leave lasting imprints on even seemingly neutral systems like timekeeping.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Palestine's time zone, daylight saving rules, and how to handle it in software. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].
- Do Hebron and Gaza always have the same time?
- Not always. While both cities are in the UTC+03:00 zone during daylight saving time, differences in when DST starts or endsâdue to separate administrative decisionsâcan cause temporary one-hour gaps between them.
- Does Palestine observe daylight saving time?
- Yes, both Gaza and Hebron observe DST and switch to UTC+03:00 (EEST) in summer. The exact transition dates may differ slightly between the two zones and can change annually based on local announcements.
- Why does Palestine have two timezones if theyâre so close together?
- The two zones reflect distinct administrative histories and occasional differences in DST timing between the West Bank (Hebron) and Gaza Strip. Though nearly identical most of the year, theyâre kept separate in global time databases to account for rare divergences.
- What time is it in Palestine compared to Israel?
- Palestine typically follows Israelâs DST schedule closely and shares the same UTC+03:00 offset during summer. However, minor timing differences can occur in spring or fall if clock changes donât align exactly.
- Is Palestineâs timezone the same as Jordan or Egypt?
- No. In winter, Palestine uses UTC+02:00, matching Jordan. But during DST, it moves to UTC+03:00âwhile Jordan does not observe DST and stays on UTC+02:00 year-round. Egypt recently reinstated DST in some years, so alignment varies.
- Are there any unusual offsets, like 30- or 45-minute differences, in Palestine?
- No. Palestine uses whole-hour offsets onlyâUTC+02:00 in winter and UTC+03:00 in summerâmaking it compatible with neighboring countriesâ rounding conventions.
- How do I check the correct time in Hebron vs. Gaza?
- Use reliable sources like timeanddate.com or worldtimebuddy.com and specify either âHebronâ or âGazaââdo not assume automatic city-based detection is accurate, especially around DST transitions.
- Has Palestine always used the same timezone?
- No. Historically, the region followed British Mandate time (UTC+02:00), then adopted Jordanian and Egyptian time after 1948. The current dual-zone system with coordinatedâbut not identicalâDST emerged after the 1990s peace agreements.
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