Rafah Camp

Basic Information

Type

Refugee Camp

Governorate

Rafah

Region

Gaza Strip

Overview

Rafah Camp is one of Gaza's eight official UNRWA refugee camps, located adjacent to Rafah city on the Egypt-Gaza border. Established after the 1948 Nakba for refugees ethnically cleansed from Palestine's southern coastal plain and Beer Sheba district, the camp became infamous under the blockade as the center of Gaza's tunnel economy — hundreds of tunnels under the Egypt border that became Gaza's primary supply route when Israel sealed all other access. By 2023, the camp housed 59,983 registered refugees. During the 2023-2026 war, Rafah became the last refuge for over 1.4 million displaced Palestinians — more than half of Gaza's population crammed into the Rafah Governorate. In early 2024, Israel launched its ground offensive into Rafah, destroying the camp, collapsing tunnels, and causing mass casualties among the displaced population sheltering there.

Historical Significance

UNRWA refugee camp since 1948; tunnel economy center under blockade; adjacent to Rafah Border Crossing; became shelter for 1.4 million displaced in 2023-2024; devastated by Israeli offensive 2024

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
• UNRWA Rafah Camp Profile
• UN OCHA Gaza Reports
• Wikipedia

Created 1948. 59,983 registered refugees. Tunnel economy center. Devastated in 2023-2026 war.