"After their expulsion from the Iberian Peninsula, the Sephardic Jews began to move into destinations like the city of Amsterdam, England, North Africa and in the Eastern Mediterranean, especially in the city of Gaza. The Ottoman authorities from the capital Baghdad allowed the refugees to live in the city, setting up a cornerstone for the establishment of a Ladino culture in Gaza. Over time, Ladino became the lingua franca of Gaza and the neighboring towns; Jews, Arabs and Christians speaking it, even some of the authorities..."