Skip to the record
Palestine Atlas

Al-Fawwar Refugee Camp

Basic Information

Type
Refugee Camp
Governorate
Hebron
Region
West Bank - Southern

Overview

Al-Fawwar Refugee Camp is located approximately 8 km south of Hebron city, on the eastern side of the main Hebron-Beersheba road. Established in 1949, the camp was originally set up to house approximately 5,000 Palestinian refugees who were expelled from their homes during the 1948 Nakba, primarily from the villages of Al-Faluja, Al-Muharraqa, Beir Al-Ma', Beit Jibrin, Al-Dawayima, Al-Jubayr, Al-Qubeiba, Al-Duhayriyya, and Al-Ramadin. The camp takes its name from a nearby spring (Ain Al-Fawwar). Over the decades, the camp has become a dense urban community despite its extremely limited area of just 0.27 km². Since 1967, Al-Fawwar has been heavily affected by Israeli military incursions, curfews, and restrictions on movement. The camp is surrounded by settlements including Haggai and is located in a highly militarized zone. The camp population lives in cramped conditions with limited access to services and no room for expansion.

Historical Significance

Al-Fawwar is one of eight official UNRWA refugee camps in the West Bank, serving as a living testament to the ongoing displacement of Palestinians since the 1948 Nakba. The camp's residents trace their origins to villages ethnically cleansed during the creation of Israel. Al-Fawwar has been a focal point of resistance during both Intifadas, and its residents face daily reminders of occupation through nearby settlements, military patrols, and movement restrictions. The camp's overcrowding — with over 12,000 residents in 0.27 km² — exemplifies the conditions faced by Palestinian refugees across the West Bank and Gaza.

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.

  • UNRWA
  • PCBS
  • UN OCHA
  • B'Tselem
  • ARIJ

Major families: At-Titi, Shadfan, Ash Shawabkah, Hilqawi, Awad, Amsi, Bayed, Najjar, Awadi, Abu Rabe', As Sarahneh. Residents from 18 regions of Hebron governorate.