According to the French government's online etymological dictionary, the English form of the word is derived from the French gaze, whose ultimate origin is uncertain, but is often attributed to the Arabic and Persian word  ("raw silk"), which itself was obtained from the name of Gaza.
The French government's online dictionary states that the English form of the word comes from the French "gaze," although its exact origin is unknown. It is frequently associated with the Arabic and Persian phrase for "raw silk," which may have been influenced by the name of Gaza.