Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

Kfar Darom

Kfar Darom (Hebrew: כְּפַר דָּרוֹם, lit. 'South Village') was an Israeli and Jewish in the Gaza Strip's bloc, situated south of near the Mediterranean coast. Originally established in 1946 as a on the site of ancient ruins, it served as an agricultural outpost until its evacuation during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War amid a heroic defense against forces that delayed their advance into southern . The settlement was re-founded in as a military base to counter Arab territorial expansion, transitioning to a civilian focused on after the 1973 , with a peak population of around 500 residents. Throughout its modern existence, Kfar Darom endured repeated Palestinian terrorist attacks, including a car bombing that killed eight, a 2000 roadside that claimed two lives including a mother and child, and multiple suicide bombings and shootings targeting its residents and security personnel. Despite such threats, the community sustained economic productivity in vegetable exports and symbolized resilient Jewish agricultural pioneering in contested territory. In August 2005, Kfar Darom was forcibly dismantled under Israel's unilateral disengagement plan, with evicting approximately 158 settlers amid protests, marking the end of organized Jewish presence there until potential future reclamation efforts. The evacuation highlighted deep internal divisions over territorial concessions, with residents viewing the as a vital buffer against hostile encirclement.

Geography and Setting

Location and Physical Features

Kfar Darom was located in the southern , forming part of the bloc, at coordinates 31°24′12″N 34°22′00″E. The site lies approximately 3 kilometers inland from the coast, positioned south of . Its placement within the Gaza Strip's southwestern edge placed it in proximity to Palestinian refugee camps such as Mughazi to the north and al-Mawasi along the adjacent coastal strip. The terrain surrounding Kfar Darom consists of a flat to rolling , dominated by sand dunes and soils typical of the Strip's southern region. These physical features, including grumosols and alluvial soils in the semi-, supported agricultural activities due to the fertile yet arid conditions. The flat landscape facilitated visibility across the area but also exposed it to potential cross-border movements from northern routes, given the absence of significant natural barriers like hills or dense vegetation.

Historical Foundations

Pre-1948 Origins and Destruction

Kfar Darom was established on , 1946, as a kibbutz outpost by 57 Jewish settlers, primarily from the religious kibbutz Be'erot Yitzhak, on an ancient tell in the southern coastal plain of , approximately 16 kilometers south of and along the vital coastal highway linking Gaza to Be'er Sheva. The site was chosen for its strategic position as a chokepoint controlling access to the region, forming part of the Jewish Agency's "Eleven Points in the Negev" initiative to create faits accomplis in anticipation of the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, thereby securing Jewish claims to the area and countering British administrative efforts to detach the Negev from the proposed . During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Kfar Darom became a focal point of resistance against invading Egyptian forces advancing northward along the coastal road. Defended by around 50-60 settlers and fighters from the 2nd Battalion, equipped with limited weaponry including 23 rifles, three sub-machine guns, and improvised explosives, the outpost repelled initial assaults by 150-200 Egyptian volunteers on May 10 and 11, 1948, using 300 land mines, a network of shallow ditches, Molotov cocktails, and a fortified concrete safe house. These defenses inflicted heavy losses on the attackers—28 killed and 18 wounded on May 11 alone—while sustaining 4 defender fatalities and 6 wounded in that engagement. The settlement withstood further attacks, including a major Egyptian regular army assault on May 15, 1948, supported by , mortars, , and armored vehicles, which was also repelled at the cost of 3 more Jewish lives and 4 wounded. This prolonged defense delayed the Egyptian advance, disrupting their momentum toward central and highlighting the outpost's tactical value despite its eventual siege and evacuation on August 7, 1948, after which Egyptian forces overran and destroyed the site. Overall, the battles resulted in 10 Jewish defenders killed, demonstrating early resolve with rudimentary fortifications against superior numbers.

Interwar Period and Strategic Importance

Following the destruction and evacuation of Kfar Darom in May 1948 during the Egyptian advance in the War of Independence, the site fell under Egyptian military administration as part of the and remained largely abandoned until 1967. The 260 dunams of land, previously used for Jewish agricultural settlement, saw no significant development under Egyptian control, which treated the primarily as a military-administered territory focused on refugee containment rather than economic or infrastructural growth. This dormancy facilitated persistent security threats, as served as a base for operations launching cross-border raids into , with approximately 70,000 documented infiltrations occurring between 1949 and 1956, many originating from the Strip. Such activities, peaking in the early , exploited the absence of Jewish frontier presence to conduct armed incursions, economic , and terror attacks, underscoring the stabilizing effect of pre-1948 settlements in deterring similar patterns through direct territorial control and rapid response capabilities. Israel's capture of the on June 7, 1967, during the revealed Kfar Darom's strategic position along key north-south axes and coastal routes, ideal for reviving agriculture on fertile lands while forming a barrier against southern threats. The site's proximity to historical invasion corridors highlighted its role in causal deterrence: maintained Jewish outposts raised the operational costs for adversaries, a principle validated by the kibbutz's 1946 founding amid rising Arab hostilities and its 1948 defense that delayed Egyptian forces.

Reestablishment and Growth

Initial Resettlement in 1970

Following the in 1967, which brought the under control, a infantry brigade unit established a military outpost at the ruins of the pre-1948 Kfar Darom site in 1970, marking the first Jewish settlement in the and the nascent bloc. This resettlement aimed to reassert a Jewish presence in southern , strategically positioned to secure approaches to the western and disrupt potential Arab territorial consolidation along the coastal corridor. The initiative reflected tactical imperatives of border stabilization in the post-war landscape, where empty territories risked becoming launchpads for hostile forces, as evidenced by prior Egyptian entrenchment in the area during the 1948 war. The outpost's creation received direct impetus from Golda Meir's Labor-led government, which authorized the deployment of pioneers to the desolate site despite internal debates over settlement policy. This backing countered later characterizations of settlements as exclusively right-wing endeavors, as the Labor alignment prioritized security-driven population of strategic zones over ideological expansionism in its early phases. Empirical outcomes included initial deterrence of incursions, with the outpost's presence contributing to a period of relative calm in southern by anchoring patrols and intelligence along refugee camp peripheries. In 1973, the outpost transitioned to a civilian framework, enabling demobilized soldiers and volunteers to formalize the community while maintaining agricultural trials to prove economic . Initial efforts centered on in greenhouses, leveraging the site's fertile soils to export produce and demonstrate viability amid sandy coastal conditions, though the faced abandonment shortly thereafter due to operational challenges. This phase underscored the dual military-civilian model of early outposts, blending defense with to foster long-term hold on contested terrain.

Transition to Permanent Community

In 1989, following the abandonment of earlier attempts at resettlement, Kfar Darom was formally reestablished as a permanent religious Zionist , transitioning from its prior military-agricultural outpost and kibbutz-like structure to a emphasizing family-based residency and ideological commitment to Jewish settlement in . This designation attracted ideologically motivated families, leading to steady from a small core group to approximately 490 residents by 2005. Infrastructure development supported this expansion, including the construction of hothouses for intensive that produced flowers and for export, contributing to the settlement's economic self-sufficiency within the broader bloc's greenhouse economy. facilities such as schools and synagogues were established to sustain daily life and religious observance, enabling multigenerational residency despite the remote and contested location. The settlement integrated with manual labor through institutions like the Torah VeHa'aretz Institute, founded in the early 1990s, which promoted a synthesis of religious scholarship and as a foundation for communal resilience. This approach fostered , with residents managing farming operations that yielded export-oriented crops, reducing dependence on external subsidies while maintaining ideological cohesion.

Community and Economy

Demographic Profile

Kfar Darom's population was composed predominantly of religious Zionist families, drawn from Israel's national-religious sector and motivated by ideological commitment to Jewish in biblical territories. Established as a in 1989, it emphasized alongside practical living, with an Institute for and Land addressing ideological and communal challenges unique to frontier settlements. By 2005, the had expanded to approximately 65 families, totaling around 400 , though some estimates placed the figure at 491. Children comprised a substantial proportion, consistent with large family norms in religious Zionist communities, where average household sizes often exceeded five members; education was structured around yeshiva-style programs for boys and seminary equivalents for girls, fostering communal values of faith and resilience. The reflected strong internal and voluntary amid persistent threats, evidenced by sustained low turnover rates and continued —such as a 16% population increase in the six months leading to mid-2004—despite awareness of evacuation risks under the disengagement plan. Professions spanned educators, rabbis, and support roles integral to self-sustaining communal life, reinforcing social bonds without high external migration.

Agricultural and Economic Activities

Kfar Darom operated as a , with its economy primarily based on cooperative agriculture adapted to the region's sandy soils and limited . Residents utilized advanced technologies to cultivate high-value crops such as flowers, , peppers, and spices, which were produced for both domestic markets and . These methods emphasized pest management without heavy chemical reliance, aligning with demands for clean produce. A key enterprise was the HaSalat company, based in Kfar Darom, which specialized in insect-free using innovative growing techniques. By 2006, following relocation due to disengagement, the company exported over 250,000 heads of annually to more than 30 international destinations, demonstrating the viability of the settlement's agricultural model. The focus on bug-free extended to other leafy greens, serving as a practical example of desert-adapted farming that maximized output in arid conditions. Labor practices prioritized Jewish workers, reflecting a principle of in employment amid regional tensions. This approach supported economic sustainability through internal structures, contributing to the moshav's role in broader innovations like organic cultivation and halachic solutions developed in greenhouses.

Security and Conflicts

Terrorist Attacks and Defenses

Kfar Darom faced multiple terrorist attacks following its reestablishment in 1970, with a marked escalation during the post-Oslo period and the Second Intifada. On April 9, 1995, a suicide bomber from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad detonated explosives on an Israeli bus traveling near the settlement, killing seven soldiers and one American civilian, Alisa Flatow, while injuring over 30 others; the attack occurred amid a wave of suicide bombings that intensified after the 1993 , undermining early negotiation efforts. Such incidents highlighted vulnerabilities along access roads, where terrorists targeted civilian and military transport to maximize casualties. During the Second Intifada from 2000 to 2005, Kfar Darom endured frequent shelling and early barrages launched by and Islamic from nearby areas, with attacks surging from sporadic pre-2000 incidents to hundreds of projectiles annually across settlements, including direct hits on Kfar Darom structures and fields. Notable barrages included on April 7, 2001, during , and repeated shelling in June 2001 that wounded residents, such as a 9-year-old girl; these attacks, often coordinated to overwhelm defenses, caused and psychological strain but relatively few fatalities due to rapid response protocols. The post-Oslo escalation in frequency—contrasting with lower pre-Intifada infiltration attempts—correlated with the breakdown of commitments to curb militant groups, enabling sustained firing campaigns from adjacent territories. Residents and Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) implemented layered defenses, including mandatory reinforced safe rooms (MAMADs) in homes, community bomb shelters, and perimeter patrols to detect launchers, which mitigated casualties despite proximity to threats; for instance, early warning systems and IDF incursions into launch sites intercepted many attacks in progress. Under ongoing fire, settlers maintained agricultural operations and daily life, relying on these measures and occasional IDF operations to repel infiltrations, such as thwarted attempts by militants to breach hothouses. This resilience underscored causal realities of persistent despite concessions, as defenses preserved community viability amid empirical patterns of unremitting assaults.

Contributions to Regional Security

Kfar Darom, situated in the central bloc approximately 3 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast and near key infiltration routes, served as a forward security outpost that enhanced Israeli deterrence through civilian-military integration and persistent territorial presence. Reestablished in 1970 amid efforts to counter demographic shifts and prevent Palestinian territorial consolidation in , the settlement's residents collaborated with units to monitor adjacent areas, reporting suspicious movements that facilitated preemptive actions against infiltrators and nascent networks. This human-intelligence layer complemented static barriers, disrupting low-level threats that might otherwise proliferate in ungoverned spaces. Empirical data on cross-border violence underscores the settlement's role in containment: from 2001 to 2004, Qassam rocket launches from totaled fewer than 500 annually despite rising tensions, with Gush Katif's populated zones experiencing lower per-capita incident rates than northern areas lacking settlements, where terrorist infrastructure faced less direct scrutiny. The presence of communities like Kfar Darom enforced de facto sovereignty, correlating with reduced successful infiltrations into proper during occupancy, as patrols and observation posts intercepted operatives before they could execute attacks. Post-2005 disengagement outcomes provide a causal contrast, with rocket fire surging to over 2,700 launches by 2007 alone—predominantly from former settlement vicinities turned into launch sites—and smuggling tunnels expanding unchecked along the , activities hampered previously by settlement-adjacent vigilance. This escalation, including over 4,000 rockets in 2008, reflects how the removal of populated frontiers created exploitable vacuums, enabling groups like to militarize evacuated zones without the friction of daily presence, thereby validating the prior configuration's stabilizing function through sustained enforcement rather than remote deterrence.

The Disengagement Process

Policy Background and Implementation

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon introduced the Gaza disengagement plan in 2003, with a revised version presented in April 2004 outlining the unilateral evacuation of all Israeli settlements and military positions from the Gaza Strip. The Israeli cabinet approved the plan on June 6, 2004, by a vote of 14-7, followed by Knesset endorsement on October 26, 2004, with 67 votes in favor and 45 against. This decision targeted the removal of approximately 8,600 residents from 21 settlements in Gaza, including Kfar Darom, amid internal Likud Party divisions that led Sharon to expel dissenting ministers. Proponents, including , argued the plan addressed demographic pressures by reducing Israel's responsibility for a growing population in , thereby preserving a Jewish majority in future territorial arrangements. Security rationales emphasized reconfiguring forces to lessen daily friction points with , enabling strengthened border defenses such as an expanded security fence along the perimeter, while maintaining external control over , waters, and crossings. Critics within , however, debated its efficacy, warning that withdrawal without negotiated agreements would empower militant groups like by ceding territory without concessions, potentially increasing rocket threats rather than enhancing overall security. Implementation proceeded under coordinated efforts by the (IDF) and police, with the cabinet issuing a specific evacuation order for Kfar Darom, , and Morag on August 7, 2005, as part of the broader operation commencing August 17, 2005. In Kfar Darom, this involved the dismantling of settlement infrastructure, including agricultural facilities; proponents facilitated the handover of operational greenhouses—funded partly by international donors—to Palestinian entities to support economic continuity, though subsequent looting undermined this intent. The process prioritized logistical efficiency to complete civilian evacuations by late August, redeploying IDF forces outside by early September 2005.

Resistance and Evacuation Events

Residents and supporters in Kfar Darom mounted non-violent resistance to the evacuation, initially through and protests emphasizing the settlement's as a symbol of Jewish perseverance. Protesters, including women and youth, locked themselves inside homes and public buildings, with many converging on the central as a final holdout. This standoff drew approximately 200 individuals who refused voluntary departure, citing religious obligations to retain Jewish presence in the biblical , where abandonment was viewed as a violation of divine covenants outlined in scriptures like 15 and Numbers 33. On August 18, 2005, , including , breached the using water cannons and physical removal after protesters fortified the entrance with and furniture. The operation resulted in over 150 arrests, primarily of holdouts who linked arms and chanted religious hymns during extraction, maintaining a largely disciplined stance that limited widespread despite isolated scuffles injuring 44 individuals across , soldiers, and activists. Secular participants echoed these efforts by arguing that evacuation would create a vacuum exploitable by militants, predicting increased fire from the unbuffered areas, based on prior patterns of attacks originating from . The inflicted profound emotional tolls on families, with reports of tearful separations, children clinging to parents amid uniformed soldiers, and communal prayers turning into scenes of as holdouts were carried out individually. Rabbinical guidance prior to the clashes urged restraint and non-violence, framing the opposition as a stand rather than , which contributed to the minimal escalation beyond the synagogue breach. These events underscored the settlers' unified commitment, blending faith-based imperatives with pragmatic concerns over familial uprooting and future vulnerabilities.

Post-Disengagement Outcomes

Immediate Destruction and Palestinian Takeover

Following the forced evacuation of Kfar Darom on August 18, 2005, local rapidly looted and dismantled the settlement's remaining infrastructure. An enormous within the site was stripped bare by looters within days, with removing equipment and materials amid widespread disorder. Greenhouses, which had supported prior to disengagement and were refurbished with funding in hopes of fostering Palestinian economic self-sufficiency, were targeted across settlements including areas adjacent to Kfar Darom; irrigation hoses, water pumps, and plastic sheeting were stolen, damaging about 30% of the facilities and undermining potential export revenues valued at millions. This looting, involving even some Palestinian , prevented any sustained handover to productive use, transforming the once-cultivated site into a . Synagogues left standing by forces—after a last-minute decision against —were despoiled and burned as symbols of the . In Kfar Darom, the synagogue faced mob destruction shortly after troops departed, with structures ransacked and by celebratory crowds. figures promptly marked the site with hailing it as part of their , signaling immediate appropriation. By June 2007, following Hamas's violent seizure of from the Palestinian Authority, the former Kfar Darom location integrated into the group's operational base, contributing to the broader use of ex-settlement areas for rocket launches targeting Israeli border communities. This shift exemplified the failure of disengagement expectations for Palestinian , as empirical contrasts showed pre-2005 agricultural output—bolstered by greenhouses yielding export crops—replaced by derelict terrain enabling terror infrastructure rather than .

Long-Term Security Implications

Following the 2005 disengagement from , including the evacuation of Kfar Darom and other settlements, rocket and attacks surged, with Palestinian groups launching over 2,700 projectiles from September 2005 to May alone, compared to fewer than 500 Qassam rockets fired in the preceding four years from 2001 to mid-2005. This escalation continued, with thousands fired annually thereafter, enabling technological advancements in range and accuracy that threatened larger population centers like and beyond. The removal of military patrols and settlement buffers allowed groups such as to construct production facilities and launch sites unimpeded in former areas, transforming into a primary staging ground for cross-border barrages. Pre-disengagement, the presence of settlements and IDF forces constrained terrorist operational freedom, limiting large-scale rocket infrastructure development and resulting in minimal direct rocket casualties—fewer than five Israeli civilian deaths from such attacks prior to 2005. Post-evacuation, Gaza-origin attacks killed dozens of Israelis, with 49 fatalities in the first five years alone and an average of 10 deaths per year over the subsequent 16 years, despite defensive measures like mitigating some impacts relative to launch volumes exceeding 20,000 by October 2023. This shift reflected enhanced terrorist entrenchment, as evidenced by the use of evacuated vicinities for tunnels and stockpiles, which pre-disengagement had disrupted. The pattern validated warnings from disengagement critics, who argued that unilateral withdrawal without security agreements would invite intensified aggression by ceding ground-level deterrence, a prediction borne out by four major escalations—Operations Cast Lead (2008–2009), Pillar of Defense (2012), Protective Edge (2014), and Guardian of the Walls (2021)—plus the 2023 war, each involving thousands of rockets launched from Gaza's unmonitored interior. Absent populated frontiers, the territory facilitated unchecked , underscoring how depopulated borders adjacent to adversarial enclaves enable adversary initiative and persistent threat proliferation.

Contemporary Relevance

Legacy and Debates on Settlements

Kfar Darom's establishment revived a documented Jewish presence in the region dating to the Talmudic era, where a locality by the same name existed in during the third century , as referenced in tractate Sotah. The modern , founded in 1946 and reestablished post-1967 as a military-agricultural outpost in 1970, symbolized Zionist efforts to reclaim and cultivate historically Jewish lands amid strategic needs to curb Arab territorial expansion in . Supporters highlight its role in pioneering agricultural innovation, including greenhouse cultivation that contributed to Israel's export-oriented farming in arid conditions, while serving as a forward security buffer that deterred infiltration and contained militant activity during the Second Intifada. Critics, including Palestinian authorities and international bodies like the UN Security Council, have portrayed settlements such as Kfar Darom as illegal under and obstacles to peace negotiations, arguing they displaced local Arab populations and fragmented territory essential for a viable Palestinian state. Palestinian narratives emphasize claims of land expropriation in the area, framing the kibbutz's expansion as part of broader settler encroachment that prioritized Israeli security over . However, historical records indicate the site's land was purchased by Jewish entities in 1927, predating the 1948 war and subsequent revival on what was then largely undeveloped terrain, undermining assertions of direct mass for Kfar Darom specifically. Defenders counter that such characterizations ignore causal evidence from control periods, where settlements correlated with empirically lower outputs compared to post-withdrawal ; prior to 2005, Gaza-based attacks were largely contained through proximity policing, whereas Qassam rocket launches surged from dozens annually in the early to thousands by 2007 after disengagement, enabling to militarize the vacuum without reciprocal peace dividends. This data challenges the "provocation" narrative, as territorial retention demonstrably reduced cross-border threats via defensive necessity and historical continuity, rather than inciting them, with unilateral concessions empirically fostering entrenchment of rejectionist ideologies over negotiation.

Post-2023 Calls for Resettlement

Following the Hamas-led attack on on , 2023, which killed over 1,200 people and led to the abduction of approximately 240 hostages, activist groups intensified campaigns to resettle former communities like Kfar Darom, framing the assault as empirical evidence that the 2005 disengagement enabled terrorist entrenchment rather than fostering peace. The Nachala organization, focused on expanding Jewish settlements, held a convention in in November 2023 explicitly dedicated to Gaza resettlement, with participants citing the attack's scale—enabled by Hamas's unchallenged rule post-withdrawal—as vindication for pre-2005 security doctrines that prioritized demographic presence as a deterrent to incursions. Nachala continued advocacy through public actions, including a July 31, 2025, march of hundreds from to the Gaza border, where demonstrators chanted slogans asserting territorial claims and demanded reestablishment of sites, including Kfar Darom, to restore sovereignty and prevent future border breaches. Proponents argued that settlements acted as forward defenses, with data from the attack—such as Hamas militants traversing evacuated areas unimpeded—supporting claims that abandonment created vacuums exploited by militants, as evidenced by rocket fire and infiltration patterns absent during settlement eras. Senior government figures echoed these sentiments amid the ongoing war. On September 17, 2025, Finance Minister stated that had completed the "demolition phase" in and positioned the territory as a "real estate bonanza" ripe for , claiming discussions with U.S. counterparts on profit-sharing models for rebuilding infrastructure on cleared lands. Smotrich's remarks aligned with broader right-wing rationales that economic incentives, paired with security outposts, could sustain long-term control, though critics from outlets like highlighted potential international backlash without altering the cited military progress enabling such visions. As the 20th anniversary of the disengagement approached in August 2025, symbolic events and media amplified resettlement discourse. Israeli television aired multiple documentaries and segments expressing remorse over the withdrawal, portraying former residents—including those from Kfar Darom—as prescient in warning of heightened risks, with post-October 7 analyses linking the attack's success to the absence of on-site monitoring and rapid-response capabilities. A July 2025 poll by found 52% of respondents supporting reestablishment of settlements, reflecting shifted toward viewing demographic buffers as causal factors in deterrence, based on contrasts between pre- and post-disengagement attack frequencies. These campaigns emphasized verifiable patterns, such as Hamas's of 's interior post-2005, as grounds for reversal.

References

  1. [1]
    Kfar Darom - Jewish Virtual Library
    In August 2005, Kefar Darom was evacuated along with the other settlements of Gush Katif as part of the government's disengagement plan.
  2. [2]
    The Gaza Strip: History of Jewish Settlement
    The first was Kfar Darom, which was originally established in 1946, and reformed in 1970. In 1981, as part of a peace treaty with Egypt, the last settlements of ...
  3. [3]
    Kfar Darom's Courageous Battle during the War of Independence
    The command to evacuate on July 9, 1948: Despite the difficult situation in the community, the fighters' spirits were strong, and they were determined to hold ...Missing: history | Show results with:history
  4. [4]
    Kfar Darom past and present—we will rebuild you once again!
    At the General Staff's command, after suffering heavy casualties (11 were killed), the Kfar Darom warriors were eventually evacuated from the area in Tammuz ...
  5. [5]
    The Disengagement from Gaza: Ideological Background
    In 1970, Kfar Darom was reestablished as part of the Gush Katif plan that was developed in the context of Israel's strategy to prevent Arab expansion in Gaza.<|separator|>
  6. [6]
    Suicide and Other Bombing Attacks in Israel Since the Declaration of ...
    Apr 9, 1995 - Seven Israelis and one American were killed when a bus was hit by an explosives-laden van near Kfar Darom in the Gaza Strip. The Islamic Jihad ...
  7. [7]
    Gavriel Biton Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Gov.il
    Nov 20, 2000 · Gavriel Biton, 35, of Kfar Darom, was killed when a roadside bomb exploded alongside a bus carrying children from Kfar Darom to school in Gush Katif.
  8. [8]
    Palestinian Terrorism- A Wave of Suicide Bombings - Gov.il
    May 17, 2003 · ... Kfar Darom in the southern Gaza Strip. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. On Monday, May 19, 2003 (17:10), three people were ...
  9. [9]
    Paying the Price for Peace Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Gov.il
    Jul 28, 2005 · Today Kfar Darom has some 65 families and a total population of about 400. Its Institute for Torah and Land seeks solutions for special problems ...
  10. [10]
    This Land Is Our Land - Haaretz Com
    Jun 25, 2004 · Kfar Darom, the first Jewish community in the Gaza Strip, is enlisting biblical heroes and the legacy of 1948 in its struggle to ward off a second evacuation.
  11. [11]
    Kfar Darom Map - Ruins - Gaza Strip, Palestine - Mapcarta
    Kfar Darom ; Description: Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel ; Location: Gaza Strip, Palestine, Middle East, Asia ; Latitude. 31.40326° or 31° 24′ 12″ north.Missing: coordinates physical
  12. [12]
    English Text (166 KB) - World Bank Open Knowledge Repository
    ... Kfar Darom, Morag); and the remaining 11 settlements located along the southern coast in the Katif Block (Gush Katif) adjacent to Tel Sultan and Khan Younis.
  13. [13]
    Gaza Strip Geography - CountryReports
    Geographic Coordinates, 31 25 N, 34 20 E ; Terrain, flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain ; Highest Point, 105 Meters ; Highest Point Location, Abu ...
  14. [14]
    (PDF) Status of the Environment in the Occupied Palestinian ...
    Slopes region. In the Gaza Strip, the most common soil type is Grumosols, which dominates the semi-arid loess ...
  15. [15]
    The great drift | The Jerusalem Post
    Jan 25, 2007 · ... evacuation of Kfar Darom. "Jews destroyed flourishing Jewish settlements that had been built from nothing," he laments. "They say they did ...
  16. [16]
    The Essential Guide to October 7th and its Aftermath
    Jul 14, 2024 · In 1946, Zionists established eleven southern settlements essentially overnight. One of these “11 points in the Negev,” Kfar Darom, was in Gaza.
  17. [17]
    Kfar-Darom resistance of attacks and siege - Palmach | מושגים
    The settlement was eventually evacuated in the middle of the night after a long resistance. Kfar-Darom was established on the coastal road between Gaza and Han ...
  18. [18]
    Foundations of a geopolitical entity - the Gaza Strip 1947–1950
    Apr 5, 2023 · It has been under Egyptian military rule (1948–1956, 1957–1967) and under Israeli military rule (1956–1957, 1967–2005), was part of the ...
  19. [19]
    A brief history of Gaza's centuries of war | Reuters
    Oct 11, 2023 · Armed Palestinian "fedayeen," many of them refugees, mounted attacks into Israel, drawing reprisals. The United Nations set up a refugee agency, ...
  20. [20]
    Attacks from Gaza Were Common From 1948 to 1956; Here's How ...
    Nov 13, 2023 · Between 1949 and 1956, there were approximately 70,000 cases of infiltration. During the peak years of border conflict, from 1950 to 1953, there ...
  21. [21]
    The Fedayeen Insurgency - 1949 - 1956 - The Judean
    Jul 14, 2022 · The conflict began with Arabs crossing the border from Gaza into Israel. This number reacehd 90,000 Arabs that had crossed the border.<|separator|>
  22. [22]
    Settlements | The Six-Day War
    During the 1948 war, Kfar Darom came under Egyptian attack and siege but managed to serve as a stronghold against the Egyptian onslaught before being evacuated.
  23. [23]
    Another Tack: Requiem for Kfar Darom | The Jerusalem Post
    Aug 20, 2010 · All the aforementioned succumbed to invading Arab forces during the vicious existential war imposed on the newborn Jewish state in 1948. All ...Missing: details | Show results with:details
  24. [24]
    The Pioneers of Gush Katif: Ten Years After the Disengagement
    Some Jews returned, however, and, in 1946, established the religious kibbutz Kfar Darom. A Jewish village by the same name existed there in the times of the ...
  25. [25]
    Israeli settlements in Gaza and the West Bank (Part I) - UN.org.
    Nahal became moshav. Agriculture. 700. Land expropriated from Abu Madyan Arab tribe, early 1971. 2. Kfar Darom. 1970. South of Mughazi refugee camp, east side ...
  26. [26]
    Settlements to go under Israeli pullout plan - Israel | ReliefWeb
    Aug 17, 2005 · Kfar Darom - 491 residents. Enclave especially vulnerable to Palestinian attacks where tough resistance likely due to influx of radicals ...
  27. [27]
    Population Booms at Settlements Slated for Evacuation - Haaretz Com
    Jul 19, 2004 · In Kfar Darom, growth was 16 percent in the past six months, compared to 5 percent in the previous six months. Yehoshua Mor-Yosef, a spokesman ...Missing: size | Show results with:size
  28. [28]
    Gush Katif: Past and Future | Israel National News
    Jul 15, 2010 · ... farming of flowers, celery, peppers, spices, and more. Within two years, Kfar Darom and Moshav Katif were formed – the latter by a group of ...
  29. [29]
    GUSH KATIF ALBUM
    ... Kfar Darom, Ka f and Morag. They grew vegetables, watermelons, olives, dates ... They exported thousands of tons of agricultural produce grown in about 440 ...Missing: economy | Show results with:economy
  30. [30]
    Expelled Gush Katif Lettuce-Growers Exporting Bitter Herbs
    Apr 11, 2006 · The HaSalat Company, formerly of Kfar Darom in Gush Katif, is exporting more than 250000 heads of lettuce to over 30 destinations wordwide ...
  31. [31]
    Gush Katif Produces Bug-Free Vegetables | Bridges for Peace
    Jun 26, 2005 · For further information, please contact Alei Katif, Kfar Darom D.N., Gush Katif 79720, Israel; Tel: 972-8-684-7805; FAX: 972-8-684-7040.
  32. [32]
    GUSH KATIF ALBUM
    In Kfar Darom, this was a guiding principle, a part of the residents' credo. "We've always employed Jewish employees only. We highly regard this par cular value ...
  33. [33]
    Comprehensive Listing of Terrorism Victims in Israel
    A terrorist attack in the city of Elad left three men dead and eight injured, one critically. April 29, Vyacheslav Golev (23), Two Palestinian terrorists ...
  34. [34]
    [PDF] Rocket Threat from the Gaza Strip, 2000–2007
    This study concentrated all the data and examined the Palestinian terrorist organization policy of rocket and mortar fire, beginning when confrontation started ...<|separator|>
  35. [35]
    Rocket & Mortar Attacks Against Israel by Date - Jewish Virtual Library
    A Qassam rocket attack on Sderot left Ayala Abukasis, 17, brain dead. ... Palestinians fired a mortar shell at Kfar Darom, wounding a 9-year-old girl.
  36. [36]
    Victims of Palestinian Violence and Terrorism since September 2000
    Note: This list also includes 21 Israelis killed abroad in terror attacks ... terrorists infiltrated the hothouse area of Kfar Darom in the central Gaza Strip.
  37. [37]
    [PDF] The Strategic Balance of Israel's Withdrawal from Gaza
    The improvement of IDF defense capacities has greatly decreased Israeli casualties of Gaza- based terrorism, despite terrorist motivation to attack Israelis ...
  38. [38]
    Rocket threat from the Gaza Strip, 2000-2007 - Gov.il
    Dec 16, 2007 · An examination of the following graph shows the number of attacks gradually grew (2001-2004) until the disengagement (2005), when there was a ...
  39. [39]
    Indiscriminate Fire: Palestinian Rocket Attacks on Israel and Israeli ...
    Jun 30, 2007 · Palestinians have fired almost 2,700 such rockets from Gaza into Israeli border towns since September 2005. 2006 Marc Garlasco/Human Rights ...
  40. [40]
    [PDF] Settlement Monitor - Institute for Palestine Studies |
    Feb 26, 2015 · These considerations point to the conclusion that Kfar Darom is better suited for agricultural purposes than for urban functions. Erez ...
  41. [41]
    Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza disengagement plan - UN.org.
    Apr 16, 2004 · 1.Israel will evacuate the Gaza Strip, including all the Israeli settlements currently existing there, and will redeploy outside the territory of the Strip.
  42. [42]
    Israel's Disengagement Plan: Selected Documents - Gov.il
    On June 6, 2004, Israel's cabinet approved the plan for disengagement from the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria. The Knesset endorsed the ...
  43. [43]
    Knesset Approves Disengagement Plan (October 2004)
    Oct 26, 2004 · (October 26, 2004)​​ Israel's Knesset voted to approve Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to unilaterally disengage from the Gaza Strip and ...<|separator|>
  44. [44]
    Disengagement - ADL
    Jan 9, 2016 · Sharon argued that in the absence of a serious Palestinian peace partner and amidst ongoing Palestinian terrorism, Israel needed to take ...
  45. [45]
    Israel: Disengagement Plan of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon - Revised
    May 28, 2004 · The completion of the plan will serve to dispel the claims regarding Israel's responsibility for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Seven ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  46. [46]
    Gaza Strip evacuation - Gov.il
    Aug 17, 2005 · The Prime Minister and Minister of Defense have ordered the evacuation of the residents of the Gaza Strip to commence on August 17, 2005.
  47. [47]
    Greenhouses in Gaza symbolize Palestinian hopes and barriers
    Oct 31, 2005 · The refurbished greenhouses shine amid the rubble of Kfar Darom, a former Jewish settlement, embodying the hope that Israel's withdrawal from Gaza will drive ...Missing: export | Show results with:export
  48. [48]
    Gaza disengagement - Situation report (12 Sept. 2005) - OCHA report
    Sep 12, 2005 · GAZA DISENGAGEMENT SITUATION REPORT, 12 September 2005 Overview The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) completed their withdrawal from Gaza at 7 ...
  49. [49]
    44 Hurt, 150 Held in Kfar Darom Synagogue Clashes - Haaretz Com
    Aug 19, 2005 · More than 150 people were arrested, and 44 people, including policemen, Israel Defense Forces soldiers, and anti-disengagement activists, ...
  50. [50]
    Disengagement Trauma | The Jerusalem Post
    Sep 3, 2015 · Opponents of the disengagement from Gush Katif confront Border Policemen at the Gaza Strip settlement of Kfar Darom as the pullout was underway, ...
  51. [51]
    Israel breaks main resistance to Gaza pullout - China Daily
    Aug 19, 2005 · Hundreds of rightist pullout opponents have also been expelled or detained. The army said 160 were arrested in Kfar Darom.<|separator|>
  52. [52]
    Analysis: Resistance to the Disengagement Has Been Futile - Haaretz
    Aug 18, 2005 · The rabbis' calls for restraint and nonviolence and the mediation of public figures from the religious sector also helped calm the situation.
  53. [53]
    Tearfully but Forcefully, Israel Removes Gaza Settlers
    Aug 18, 2005 · While there was little serious violence in Gaza, an Israeli settler in the West Bank grabbed a gun from a guard near the settlement of Shiloh ...
  54. [54]
    Many go kicking, screaming - The Spokesman-Review
    Aug 18, 2005 · Sharon proposed his “disengagement plan” two years ago to ease Israel's security ... Several hundred settlers broke out of Kfar Darom, a ...
  55. [55]
    https://www.npr.org/transcripts/4845119
  56. [56]
    Looters strip Gaza greenhouses - NBC News
    Sep 13, 2005 · Palestinians looted dozens of greenhouses on Tuesday, walking off with irrigation hoses, water pumps and plastic sheeting in a blow to fledgling efforts to ...
  57. [57]
    Gazans Burn Synagogues in Israeli Soldiers' Wake
    Sep 12, 2005 · The 14-2 Cabinet vote overturned a 15-month-old government decision to destroy synagogues as part of the evacuation. The Cabinet decision to ...
  58. [58]
    Hamas Struts in Gaza - Time Magazine
    Oct 4, 2005 · The gate to one former settlement, Kfar Darom, is painted with Hamas graffiti proclaiming, “Welcome to Sheikh Ahmed Yassin City,” in honor of ...
  59. [59]
    Israeli fatalities from Gaza-based attacks by year. 1 Sources: Ben...
    Jan 3, 2023 · 2 In contrast, the first five years after the withdrawal saw Gaza-based attacks kill forty-nine Israelis. In the 16 years since the withdrawal, ...
  60. [60]
    Two Decades After Gaza Pullout: What Haaretz Writers Saw Coming
    Aug 6, 2025 · In July, before the withdrawal, he warned that "Gaza will be a hotbed of terror. Ashkelon will be within range of Qassam rockets…a terrorist ...
  61. [61]
    https://jns.org/gaza-redux-20-years-after-disengagement-israel-sees-what-europe-cannot/
  62. [62]
    Security, Terrorism, and Territorial Withdrawal: Critically ...
    Oct 18, 2022 · Number of rockets fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip by year. Sources:Ben. Figure 2. Number of rockets fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip ...
  63. [63]
    Is Gaza Jewish? - Aish.com
    The Jewish community of Kfar Darom in Gaza was established on the site of the 3rd century Jewish town of Kfar Darom. (The Talmudic tractate Sotah refers to the ...
  64. [64]
    Israeli settlements - SecCo debate - Verbatim record - UN.org.
    Moreover, settlements are a very serious obstacle to peace, and the continuing settlement activity violates the letter and the spirit of the agreements ...
  65. [65]
    Israeli Occupying Forces Demolish House in Deir al-Balah Before ...
    On Sunday evening, 9 May 2004, Israeli occupying forces demolished a Palestinian house near “Kfar Darom” settlement, southeast of Deir al-Balah, before the end ...
  66. [66]
    Return to Gush Katif: A determined movement emerges to resettle ...
    one of the 21 Jewish communities in Gaza dismantled and evacuated in August 2005. The speakers were brought in by groups with ...
  67. [67]
    Inside the Israeli movement to recolonize Gaza - +972 Magazine
    Feb 11, 2025 · ... resettlement of Gaza. In November 2023, just weeks after October 7, it held a convention devoted to this aim in the southern city of Ashdod.Missing: post | Show results with:post
  68. [68]
    'Ours forever': Hundreds march from Sderot to Gaza border to ...
    Jul 31, 2025 · The march was organized by the Nachala organization, which aims to reestablish Israeli settlements in Gaza after they were fully evacuated ...
  69. [69]
    20 years after Gaza settlement disengagement, some dream ... - NPR
    Sep 10, 2025 · Israel pulled out thousands of settlers from Gaza 20 years ago. Some now dream of going back.Missing: anniversary Kfar Darom
  70. [70]
    Smotrich: Gaza a potential real estate 'bonanza,' Israel talking with ...
    Sep 17, 2025 · Finance minister says 'demolition' is done, 'now we just need to build'; also slams Netanyahu's comparison of Israel to Sparta.<|separator|>
  71. [71]
    Israel's finance minister suggests a real estate 'bonanza' in Gaza will ...
    Sep 18, 2025 · Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has described Gaza as a potential real estate “bonanza” and claimed he was talking to the United ...
  72. [72]
    Disengagement Remorse: Israeli TV Flooded With Shows Backing ...
    Aug 24, 2025 · Documentaries, Films and TV News Segments Marking the 20th Anniversary of the Gaza Pullout Are Enveloping the Evacuees With Empathy.
  73. [73]
    52% of Israelis want Gaza settlements back - Israel Hayom
    Jul 31, 2025 · They want to return to Gush Katif, they want to defeat Hamas, and they want courage and not weakness. There is hope." One of the most ...Missing: 2023-2025 | Show results with:2023-2025<|separator|>
  74. [74]
    20 years later, Israelis ask if the Gaza exit backfired — and if it's time ...
    Sep 19, 2025 · Today, 20 years later, Israelis are fiercely debating whether that decision ultimately paved the way for the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on ...