Rafah
Rafah (Arabic: رفح Rafaḥ [rafaħ]; Hebrew: רָפִיחַ Rafiaḥ [ʁaˈfi.aχ]) is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip; it is the capital of the Rafah Governorate, located 30 kilometers (19 mi) south-west of Gaza City. In 2017, Rafah had a population of 171,889. As a result of massive bombardment and ground assaults in Gaza City and Khan Yunis by Israel during the Israel–Hamas war, about 1.4 million people are believed to be sheltering in Rafah.
Rafah | |
|---|---|
City | |
| Arabic transcription(s) | |
| • Arabic | رَفَح |
Location of Rafah in the Gaza Strip | |
Rafah Location of Rafah | |
| Coordinates: 31°16′21″N 34°15′31″E | |
| Palestine grid | 77/78 |
| State | State of Palestine |
| Governorate | Rafah |
| Government | |
| • Type | City |
| • Head of Municipality | Anwar al-Shaer (2019) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 64,000 dunams (64 km2 or 25 sq mi) |
| Population (2017 Census) | |
| • Total | 171,899 |
| • Density | 2,700/km2 (7,000/sq mi) |
When Israel withdrew from the Sinai in 1982, Rafah was split into a Gazan part and an Egyptian part, dividing families, separated by barbed-wire barriers. The core of the city was destroyed by Israel and Egypt to create a large buffer zone.
Rafah is the site of the Rafah Border Crossing, the sole crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Gaza's only airport, Yasser Arafat International Airport, was located just south of the city. The airport operated from 1998 to 2001, until it was bombed and bulldozed by the Israeli military (IDF).