Khan Yunis

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Khan Yunis (Arabic: خان يونس) is a city/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].

The refugee camp was founded in 1948 and initially held 35,000 refugees, mostly from villages in the Beersheva area. The number of refugees (including descendants) registered with UNRWA in mid-2002 was 60,662.

An investigation made by UNRWA officials found that 275 civilians and eight UNRWA employees were killed in the camp on November 3, 1956 during the Sinai war. An unknown number of those killed had been summarily executed. After Israel's withdrawal in March, 1957 a mass grave was found at Khan Yunis containing the bodies of forty Arabs that had their hands tied who had been shot in the back of the head. (Michael Palumbo Imperial Israel, p.31,36)

It was the site of Israeli helicopter attacks in August 2001 and October 2002. Khan Yunis is known as a stronghold of the radical group Hamas.

The north part of Khan Yunis is watching over the Kissufim junction - one of the main roads for Israeli convoys to the settlements established in violation of international law after Israel occupied the Gaza Strip in 1967.

Photos: close-up map of Gaza

See also: List of Palestinian refugee camps

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