Rafah

Rafah is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip, near the border with Egypt. It is the administrative center of the Rafah Governorate and lies on the Mediterranean coast at the Gaza–Egypt border, opposite the Egyptian city of Rafah in the Sinai Peninsula. The city is home to Rafah Camp, one of the largest Palestinian refugee camps established after 1949.

Historically, Rafah has been shaped by the broader Arab–Israeli conflict. It was administered by Egypt before the 1967 war, occupied by Israel from 1967 to 2005, and afterward became part of the Palestinian Authority’s governance in the Gaza Strip. Since 2007, it has been under de facto Hamas administration within the Gaza Strip.

The Rafah Border Crossing connects Gaza to Egypt and has been opened irregularly to allow the passage of people and, at times, goods, depending on security and political conditions. The crossing has often been closed, with periods of heightened activity during humanitarian crises. The city has long depended on cross-border trade and, historically, on smuggling tunnels that linked Rafah to Egypt. Blockade measures and periodic conflicts have affected its economy and infrastructure.

Rafah has suffered damage in several armed conflicts in Gaza and hosts humanitarian and development activities run by international organizations and aid agencies. The city is a focal point for Palestinian refugees and for efforts to manage displacement, reconstruction, and border politics in southern Gaza.