Al Mawasi, Once Gaza's Food Basket, Now a Hub of Displacement Due to Occupation
Al Mawasi is a coastal Palestinian area located in the southwest of the Gaza Strip, once known for its fertile farmland and fresh groundwater. However, due to the policies of the Israeli occupation, what was the "food basket of the Gaza Strip" has turned into barren land and a focal point for displacement within the territory.
Location and Geography
The Al Mawasi region lies along the Palestinian Mediterranean coast, southwest of the Gaza Strip, approximately 28 kilometers from Gaza City. It stretches 12 kilometers in length and about one kilometer in width, southeast of Wadi Gaza, from Deir al-Balah in the north, passing through Khan Yunis governorate, and reaching as far down as Rafah governorate in the south.
With a total area of around 12,000 dunams (1 dunam equals 1,000 square meters), it represents about 3% of the Gaza Strip's area. The region consists of sandy dunes, locally known as "al-Sawafi," comprised of white desert sands interspersed with fertile agricultural depressions rich in groundwater.
Administrative Division and Infrastructure
Al Mawasi is divided geographically into two connected regions; one falls under Khan Yunis governorate, situated at the extreme southwest of the governorate, while the other belongs to Rafah governorate, located at the extreme northwest.
Most of Al Mawasi encompasses agricultural land or barren sandy dunes. Residential areas are limited, with no more than 100 buildings that barely accommodate the original inhabitants, not to mention the lack of infrastructure, paved streets, sewage networks, electricity lines, and communication and internet networks.
The Al Mawasi area in Rafah is scattered with tents of displaced individuals (Al Jazeera).
Population
Al Mawasi has a population of about 9,000 people. Most of them live off fishing and agriculture, in addition to small commercial enterprises such as shops, restaurants, and cafes.
History
The name "Al Mawasi" appeared during the Ottoman rule, when the Ottoman authorities cut off the western lands from the city of Deir al-Balah, through Khan Yunis to Rafah governorate, and ending on the border with Egypt. The name "Al Mawasi" was derived, relating to the farmers in the area who used to extract water by digging absorption ponds on the surface of the land for irrigation.
During the Ottoman rule, Al Mawasi was inhabited by its Palestinian families who owned it by virtue of customary reality, despite the lack of formal registration. This continued during the British Mandate period.
After the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in 1948, the area became a part of Egypt and grew in importance, as it became a center for the Egyptian governor in the Strip and a significant tourist area.
During the Tripartite Aggression on Egypt in 1956, the Israeli army occupied the area but withdrew after five months, with Al Mawasi reverting to Egyptian rule.
Al Mawasi area on the map of the Gaza Strip (Al Jazeera).
Israeli Occupation
In 1967, Israeli forces took over Al Mawasi, allowing the construction of the "Gush Katif" settlement bloc in and around the area. Palestinians were then surrounded by 14 settlements, facing severe restrictions on groundwater extraction.
Al Mawasi, renowned for its fertile lands, fresh waters, and flourishing agriculture—"the Gaza Strip's food basket"—felt the impact as the occupation seized extensive agricultural lands, intensifying production, much of which was exported to Europe.
After the 1993 Oslo Accords, a joint Palestinian-Israeli administration was responsible for the area, with Israel overseeing security and the Palestinian Authority handling internal governance and civil matters, enabling local Palestinian families to continue their agricultural activities.
Al Aqsa Intifada
During the Al Aqsa Intifada between 2000 and 2005, Israeli forces imposed forceful restrictions on the area, isolating it and impacting residents' daily activities, disrupting education and healthcare, severely curtailing fishing activities, and causing considerable agricultural damage.
The Al Mawasi area is crowded with thousands of displaced individuals due to Israeli aggression (Al Jazeera).
In 2005, Israel withdrew from the area, dismantling the settlements. Before handing over the lands to the Palestinians, the occupation changed the area's features, destroying agricultural land and wells, leading to groundwater depletion and increased salinity due to overuse by the settlements.
The blockade on Gaza post-2007, along with a lack of developmental opportunities, prevented Al Mawasi from recovering its vitality, with the area suffering from freshwater shortages, increased water salinity, and contamination by pesticides.
A Hotspot of Displacement
With the escalation of Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip following October 2023's "Aqsa Flood" battle, thousands of civilians fell victim, resulting in tens of thousands of injuries.
Since October 18, military statements from the occupation forces guided Gaza residents southward toward the open areas west of Khan Yunis, specifically Al Mawasi, touted as a "safe area" for international aid if needed.
Displaced individuals flowed into the directed area but found no shelter or humanitarian aid upon arrival. Al Mawasi was ill-equipped for incoming displaced people in terms of infrastructure, services, and sufficient housing.
Forced to crowd in constrained barren areas under the open sky, the arrivals faced basic life-sustaining conditions, lacking water, electricity, sanitation facilities, and insufficient humanitarian aid for the burgeoning number of displaced individuals.
The UN refused to consider "Al Mawasi" a safe area, noting the absence of essential conditions for security and basic humanitarian needs and lacked mechanisms for the supervision of a safe zone. It settled for constructing a tent camp for the displaced in the area.
