Abasan al-Kabira

Basic Information

Type

Town

Governorate

Khan Yunis

Region

Gaza Strip

Overview

Abasan al-Kabira is a Palestinian town in the Khan Yunis Governorate in southern Gaza, connected to Khan Yunis by a local street. The site has been inhabited since the Roman and Byzantine periods — a Greek mosaic from 606 CE found here testifies to ancient settlement. The town has a strong Bedouin tribal structure, with extended families including Qudayh (Ashraaf), Alshawaf, Al-Daghmah, and others maintaining traditional social organization. In 1945, the village had 16,084 dunams, making it one of the larger landholding communities in southern Gaza. The town is approximately 75% destroyed as a result of the 2023-2026 war, particularly during Operation Gideon's Chariots.

Historical Significance

Roman and Byzantine archaeological site (Greek mosaic, 606 CE); strong Bedouin tribal society; ~75% destroyed in 2023-2026 war

Sources and record limitations

Source detail varies by record. Some entries include document and page references; others supply source names only. Check the cited material and the record's limitations before relying on a specific claim.

• PCBS 2017 Census
• UN OCHA Gaza Reports
• ARIJ
• Wikipedia

Archaeologically significant Byzantine mosaic. Strong Bedouin tribal identity. ~75% destroyed in 2023-2026 war.