Al-Qarara | |
|---|---|
| Arabic transcription(s) | |
| • Arabic | القرارة |
| • Latin | al-Qrara (official) el-Qarara (unofficial) |
 Salah al-Din Road through al-Qarara in 2025 | |
| Coordinates: 31°22′23″N 34°20′21″E / 31.37306°N 34.33917°E / 31.37306; 34.33917 | |
| State | State of Palestine |
| Governorate | Khan Yunis |
| Government | |
| • Type | Municipality |
| • Control |  Israel |
| • Head of Municipality | Eid al-Abdullah |
| Population (2017)[1] | |
• Total | 29,004 |
Al-Qarara (Arabic: القرارة) is a Palestinian town in the Khan Yunis Governorate of the Gaza Strip. It is located just north of Khan Yunis and approximately 24 kilometres (15 mi) south of Gaza City. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 29,004 people in 2017.[1]
Two months after the beginning of the Gaza war in 2023, al-Qarara was besieged for four months by the Israel Defense Forces. During this time, numerous residential buildings in the town were destroyed, and the town became the site of a displacement camp.[2][3]
History
Al-Qarara, which used to be a farming village,[4] lies on trade routes dating back to the Bronze Age.[4] The town was home to the al-Qarara Cultural Museum,[4] which housed several Canaanite and Roman artifacts. Construction on a pedestrian bridge over Salah al-Din Road, funded by Japan, was completed in the town in September 2023.[5]
Gaza war
In December 2023, two months into the Gaza war, Israel issued evacuation orders to the inhabitants of al-Qarara, and initiated a siege of the town shortly thereafter.[6] During and after the siege, much of the town's infrastructure was destroyed.[7]
By 12 December of that year, al-Qarara was completely encircled by Israeli troops, who also engaged a number of other towns in the area, such as Absan, Al-Nazla, Bani Suheila, and al-Satr.[8][9]
See also
References
- ^ a b Preliminary Results of the Population, Housing and Establishments Census, 2017 (PDF). Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) (Report). State of Palestine. February 2018. pp. 64–82. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
- ^ "Gaza family accuses Israel of killing Palestinian with Down syndrome during incursion". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ "Israeli forces blow up residential buildings in Khan Yunis". EgyptToday. 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
- ^ a b c "In Gaza, a museum filled with history 'picked up' along the way". Christian Science Monitor. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
- ^ "Completion of a pedestrian bridge in Gaza's al Qarara funded by Japan celebrated". WAFA. 19 September 2023.
- ^ Kingsley, Patrick; Ahmad, Rawan Sheikh; Fuller, Thomas (2023-12-02). "Israel Orders Evacuations Amid 'Intense' Attacks on Southern Gaza". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
- ^ "As part of its genocidal war in Gaza, Israel destroys Palestinians' cultural heritage". Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor. 2023-11-20. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
- ^ "Latest Updates On Bani Suheila Area In The East Of Khan Yunis (Map) - Islamic World News". 2023-12-06. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
- ^ "The Latest Situation In The South Of The Gaza Strip And Khan Yunis (Map) - Islamic World News". 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
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