Gaza Airstrip
Encyclopedia
Gaza Airstrip, also known as Gush Katif Airport, is a small airfield in the Gaza Strip
approximately two miles north of the town of Khan Yunis
, and adjacent to the UNRWA Khan Younis refugee camp. It is immediately west of the former Israel
i settlement of Ganei Tal
, and named after the former Israeli settlement area of Gush Katif
. It may be on the site of the former RAF Gaza
, which was first used as an airstrip in 1941. Following the destruction of the Yasser Arafat International Airport
it is currently the only usable runway in the Gaza Strip. An Israel
i air blockade prevents the runway from being used.
was used by a number of RAF squadrons, including No. 33 Squadron RAF
, No. 45 Squadron RAF
, No. 127 Squadron RAF
, No. 208 Squadron RAF
, No. 318 Squadron RAF
and No. 451 Squadron RAF
. No.2 Air Crew Officers School was based on the airfield, and the Greek Training Flight was also based there from 1941-1942. The airfield was used as the Middle East ammunition depot from July to September 1942. Whether or not RAF Gaza was on the site of the present day Gaza Airstrip is unclear, as it was likely only of a temporary nature. Some sources place RAF Gaza to the southeast of Gaza City although there are no visible remains of the airfield there.
After the 1948 Palestinian exodus
35,000 refugees took shelter in a camp to the south of the present day airfield. This has become the UNRWA Khan Younis camp.
As part of the unilateral disengagement
of Israel from Gaza, Jewish settlers were evicted from the Gush Katif
area in 2004 and 2005.
In 2004, the airfield was in a good state of repair. The runway was kept clear, and runway markings were maintained. Following the handover to the Palestinian authorities along with the reat of Gush Katif, the airstrip was no longer maintained. It became partially covered by sand and reduced from a width of 80 ft to approximately 30 ft of usable tarmac, and the 225 ft overrun and backtracking loop at the northwest end became blocked with sand.
In 2010 the main 2,625 ft runway was still sufficiently clear to be used, due to its use as access to UNRWA Khan Younis.
Following the destruction of the runway of Gaza Airport in 2002, Gaza Airstrip is the only remaining runway in the Gaza Strip. Although the runway is short compared to Gaza Airport, with the tarmac overrun at the northwest end of the runway cleared of sand it is potentially long enough for STOL
airliners such as the DHC-7 to operate safely. 500 ft of open ground beyond the overrun could be used to extend the runway.
However, for the airstrip to be used to transport much needed aid to UNRWA Khan Younis the primary requirement is the lifting of the Israeli Air Force
blockade of Gaza.
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
approximately two miles north of the town of Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis - often spelt Khan Younis or Khan Yunnis - is a city and adjacent refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the city, its refugee camp, and its immediate surroundings had a total population of 180,000 in 2006...
, and adjacent to the UNRWA Khan Younis refugee camp. It is immediately west of the former Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i settlement of Ganei Tal
Ganei Tal
Ganei Tal was an Israeli settlement in the south of the Gaza Strip. Located in the Gush Katif settlement bloc, it was established as a moshav in 1979 with a primarily agricultural purpose; exporting geraniums and tomatoes to Europe. It had a population of some 75 families, or 500 people.Lined...
, and named after the former Israeli settlement area of Gush Katif
Gush Katif
Gush Katif was a bloc of 17 Israeli settlements in the southern Gaza strip. Gush Katif was specifically mentioned by Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli prime minister who fell victim to an assassin in 1995, as essential to Israel's security border. In August 2005, the Israeli army moved the 8,600...
. It may be on the site of the former RAF Gaza
RAF Gaza
RAF Gaza was a Second World War RAF airfield in the present day Gaza Strip, possibly on the site of the Gaza Airstrip.-History:During the Second World War RAF Gaza was used by a number of RAF squadrons, including No. 33 Squadron RAF, No. 45 Squadron RAF, No. 127 Squadron RAF, No. 208 Squadron RAF,...
, which was first used as an airstrip in 1941. Following the destruction of the Yasser Arafat International Airport
Yasser Arafat International Airport
Yasser Arafat International Airport , formerly Gaza International Airport and Dahaniya International Airport, is located in the Gaza Strip, in Rafah close to the Egyptian border....
it is currently the only usable runway in the Gaza Strip. An Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i air blockade prevents the runway from being used.
History
During the Second World War RAF GazaRAF Gaza
RAF Gaza was a Second World War RAF airfield in the present day Gaza Strip, possibly on the site of the Gaza Airstrip.-History:During the Second World War RAF Gaza was used by a number of RAF squadrons, including No. 33 Squadron RAF, No. 45 Squadron RAF, No. 127 Squadron RAF, No. 208 Squadron RAF,...
was used by a number of RAF squadrons, including No. 33 Squadron RAF
33
Year 33 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Ocella and Sulla...
, No. 45 Squadron RAF
45
Year 45 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Vinicius and Sabinus...
, No. 127 Squadron RAF
127
Year 127 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rufus and Squilla...
, No. 208 Squadron RAF
208
Year 208 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelius and Geta...
, No. 318 Squadron RAF
318
Year 318 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Licinianus and Crispus...
and No. 451 Squadron RAF
451
Year 451 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marcianus and Adelfius...
. No.2 Air Crew Officers School was based on the airfield, and the Greek Training Flight was also based there from 1941-1942. The airfield was used as the Middle East ammunition depot from July to September 1942. Whether or not RAF Gaza was on the site of the present day Gaza Airstrip is unclear, as it was likely only of a temporary nature. Some sources place RAF Gaza to the southeast of Gaza City although there are no visible remains of the airfield there.
After the 1948 Palestinian exodus
1948 Palestinian exodus
The 1948 Palestinian exodus , also known as the Nakba , occurred when approximately 711,000 to 725,000 Palestinian Arabs left, fled or were expelled from their homes, during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the Civil War that preceded it. The exact number of refugees is a matter of dispute...
35,000 refugees took shelter in a camp to the south of the present day airfield. This has become the UNRWA Khan Younis camp.
As part of the unilateral disengagement
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan
Israel's unilateral disengagement plan , also known as the "Disengagement plan", "Gaza expulsion plan", and "Hitnatkut", was a proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, adopted by the government on June 6, 2004 and enacted in August 2005, to evict all Israelis from the Gaza Strip and from...
of Israel from Gaza, Jewish settlers were evicted from the Gush Katif
Gush Katif
Gush Katif was a bloc of 17 Israeli settlements in the southern Gaza strip. Gush Katif was specifically mentioned by Yitzhak Rabin, the Israeli prime minister who fell victim to an assassin in 1995, as essential to Israel's security border. In August 2005, the Israeli army moved the 8,600...
area in 2004 and 2005.
In 2004, the airfield was in a good state of repair. The runway was kept clear, and runway markings were maintained. Following the handover to the Palestinian authorities along with the reat of Gush Katif, the airstrip was no longer maintained. It became partially covered by sand and reduced from a width of 80 ft to approximately 30 ft of usable tarmac, and the 225 ft overrun and backtracking loop at the northwest end became blocked with sand.
Present day
The UNRWA Khan Younis refugee camp is adjacent to and south of the airfield, and the UNRWA Khan Younis Vocational Training Centre, built in 2007, is immediately south of the runway. The camp houses over 68,000 refugees.In 2010 the main 2,625 ft runway was still sufficiently clear to be used, due to its use as access to UNRWA Khan Younis.
Following the destruction of the runway of Gaza Airport in 2002, Gaza Airstrip is the only remaining runway in the Gaza Strip. Although the runway is short compared to Gaza Airport, with the tarmac overrun at the northwest end of the runway cleared of sand it is potentially long enough for STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
airliners such as the DHC-7 to operate safely. 500 ft of open ground beyond the overrun could be used to extend the runway.
However, for the airstrip to be used to transport much needed aid to UNRWA Khan Younis the primary requirement is the lifting of the Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
blockade of Gaza.