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] (http://www.pcbs.org/english/phc_97/kan/khyunis.htm).
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)
Khan Yunis in the al-Aqsa Intifada
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 convoy. Buildings there were often used by militants as sniping post and mortar bases to shot against settler and soldiers.
From Khan-Yunis north buildings, two terrorist murdered Tali Hatuel on May 2 2004 and week after shot on her memorial service. One building was also used as cover for an explosive-ladden underground tunnel which blow up IDF outpost on June 27. After each attack, Israeli Defence Forces bulldozed some of the structures used by the terrorists.
On December 16, 2004, the Israeli Defence Forces raided the town with armoured bulldozer and tanks in order to stop mortar shelling on Israeli settlements. In the 6 weeks 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.[2] (http://info.jpost.com/C002/Supplements/CasualtiesOfWar/2004_12_14.html) The operation ended with about 14 Palestinians killed, most of them are militants.
As a result, Khan Yunis have been the target of frequent raids by the IDF, and heavy battle ensued in the area - leaving tens of Palestinians killed, many of whome were armed militants.
See also
Photos: close-up map of Gaza (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/gazastrip91.jpg)
See also: List of Palestinian refugee campsde:Chan Yunis he:ח'אן יוניס nl:Khan Younis