Khan Yunis
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Khan Yunis (Arabic: خان يونس; literally Jonah's Inn) is a city and adjacent refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the city, its refugee camp, and its immediate surroundings had a total population of 200,704 in 1997.[1]
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[edit] Currently
Israeli forces entered Gaza Strip on June 28, 2006 to search for a recently kidnapped Israeli soldier, Corporal Gilad Shalit, 19, who is believed to be held by Palestinian groups. The groups have stated that they will free the captured soldier on the condition that Israel release 1000 Palestinian militants kept in Israeli prisons. Shalit's condition and whereabouts are currently unknown. [2]
[edit] History
The refugee camp was founded in 1948 and initially held 35,000 refugees, mostly from villages in the Beersheva area. The number of refugees and their descendants registered with UNRWA in mid-2002 was 60,662.
[edit] Khan Yunis in the al-Aqsa Intifada
Khan Yunis was the site of Israeli helicopter attacks in August 2001 and October 2002. It is known as a stronghold of the radical group Hamas. [3]
The northern part of Khan Yunis overlooks the Kissufim junction — formerly one of the main roads for Israeli traffic to Gush Katif. Buildings there had often been used by militants as sniping posts and mortar bases to shoot settlers and soldiers.
From Khan Yunis' northern buildings, two terrorists killed Tali Hatuel on May 2, 2004, forcing her and her four daughters off the road and shooting them at close range. The next week, her memorial service was attacked at the same site. One building was also used as cover for an explosive-laden tunnel, which blew up an Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) outpost on June 27. After each attack, the IDF bulldozed some of the structures used by the terrorists.
On December 16, 2004, the IDF raided the town with armoured bulldozers and tanks in order to stop mortar shelling of Israeli settlements. In the six weeks before the operation about 80 mortar shells and Qassam rockets had hit Gush Katif, killing one Thai worker and wounding a dozen civilians and 11 soldiers.[4] The operation ended with about 14 Palestinians killed, most of them militants.
As a result, Khan Yunis have been the target of frequent raids by the IDF, and heavy battles ensued in the area, leaving tens of Palestinians killed, many of whom were armed militants.
[edit] Israeli pullout
In 2005, Israel unilaterally pulled out of Khan Yunis and the rest of the Gaza Strip in its unilateral disengagement plan.
[edit] See also
List of Palestinian refugee camps
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Beit Hanoun (בית חנון · بيت حانون) · Beit Lahia (בית להיה · بيت لاهية) · Deir el-Balah (דיר אלבלח · دير البلح) · Gaza City (עזה · غزة) · Jabalia (ג'בליה · جباليا) · Khan Yunis (ח'אן יוניס · خان يونس) · Rafah (רפיח · رفح)
