16 Chapter Three | The se�lement in Gaza From the Beginning of Zionism Un�l the Six Day War (1967) It is important to note that the se�lement in Deir al-Balah was considered one of the 11 outposts established in the Negev, just like Be'eri, Gal On, Hazerim, Nirim and the rest of the outposts set up on that night. And so the event is called to this day: 'The 11-Outposts Established in the Negev,' including Kfar Darom in the Gaza Strip. Meaning, the se�lement on the outskirts of Deir al-Balah was perceived as a natural part of the se�lement in the Negev, just like all other ten se�lements. The kibbutz remained in its place for a year and a half, un�l 5708 (1948). When the War of Independence broke out, the Egyp�an army started its campaign of conquest of Land of Israel through the Gaza Strip, and Kibbutz Kfar Darom was stuck 'like a thorn in its side.' The siege was long, and ended when a specific command by the Chief of Staff forced Kfar Darom members to evacuate from their se�lement.25 The Nahal Rafiah Stronghold, 1956 One of the lesser known se�lements cases took place a�er Opera�on Sinai (The Suez Crisis of 1956), ten years a�er Kfar Darom broke ground. Religious members of the Nahal Ba�alion, nuclei members of the Religious Kibbutz Movement, established a Nahal Stronghold near Rafah, with the goal of forming a religious kibbutz. The place chosen for the stronghold was an Egyp�an military camp that served as a hospital before the war. The objec�ve, as defined by Lt. Col. Aharon Harsina, Chief of the Se�lement Branch in the Opera�ons Division, was clear: "Se�ng facts on the ground, by cul�va�ng agricultural land in the Gaza Strip region and establishing an agricultural se�lement in the Gaza Strip." 26 On December 31, 1956, the final mee�ng was held in prepara�on for ge�ng on the ground. The Nahal Ba�alion's Deputy Commander, Moshe Gat, stated that the Nahal Rafiah Stronghold, is meant to set the fact that there is a Jewish se�lement in the Gaza Strip. "The stronghold will engage in agriculture. To that end, the Jewish Agency will provide agricultural equipment and livestock, which would allow the immediate cul�va�on of 100 hectares of rain-watered land and 25 hectares of irrigated land. 27 The Nahal members spend the first days cleaning and arranging the camp, renova�ng the buildings and preparing them for dwellings. One of the Nahal members, Reuven Rosenbla� (later the first head of council of the Gaza Region), was appointed commander of that post, and was even granted the rank of lance-corporal.28 The Nahal members tended to 350 chickens, 80 sheep, 8 cows, 1 bull and 7 camels. They managed to plow an area 100 hectares, from which they sowed 6 hectars with a variety of vegetables: carrots, onions, potatoes and sunflowers.29 When the government decided to return the Gaza Strip to Egypt, all prepara�ons of the Jewish Agency were completed to establish a permanent se�lement of 'Nahal Rafiah.' On March 6, 1957, the IDF withdrew from the Gaza Strip The stronghold was dissolved just before that. For many years this case was kept secret, at the behest of the IDF Military Censorship.30 Jewish Se�lement in Gaza - For the Second Time In the morning of 26 of Iyar 5727 (06/05/1967), the first day of the Six Day War, the 202nd Ba�alion of the Paratrooper Corps, under the command of Zvi Bar (Barazani) were on high alert near Kibbutz Be'eri, and were wai�ng for orders. Ready to move, they gazed at the Air Force planes that flew west, towards Sinai. In the distance, they could hear the roar of the tanks' cannons of Col. Shmuel Gorodish (later Gen. Shmuel Gonen), who breached the border of the Gaza Strip towards Khan Yunis. At 10 O'Clock in the morning the order to move was given, and the paratroopers began moving from the direc�on of Rafah towards Gaza. The direc�on of the a�ack confused the Egyp�ans. They expected an a�ack from the north, and were surprised by the force moving from the south. The force that a�acked Rafah split up: One moved south towards Sinai, and the other moved north towards Gaza. 19 years earlier, the Egyp�an army moved in the exact same route, on its way to conquer the young Sate of Israel. Upon the beginning of the war it became clear that the task of libera�ng the Gaza Strip will be completely different from the original plans, especially given the figh�ng capabili�es of the Pales�nian units. Contrary to expecta�ons and contrary to all es�mates, they fought like lions. They mined the roads and defended their outposts fiercely. For example, an outpost on the Khan Yunis - Rafah road, which was cleared by the IDF forces, was recaptured by Pales�nian fighters who a�acked the IDF forces that moved on the road. The paratroopers passed through Deir al-Balah, inadvertently passing the ruins of Kfar Darom, and swept away Nuseirat, al-Burij and al-Maghazi refugee camps, reaching the intersec�on of Harat Darj. There, the force encountered an Egyp�an-Pales�nian outpost. The loca�on of the outpost was not surprising. The Harat Darj intersec�on was one of the key tac�cal junc�ons of the Gaza Strip. The Hebrew name of the intersec�on - Netzarim Junc�on - will be given to it later. The spearhead force stormed the outpost. The fight lasted eight minutes. When it was over, all the defenders of the outpost were terminated. From there, the force con�nued parallel to the Gaza bypassing road. Part of the force came upon an Egyp�an ambush that included a tank force near the a-Zaytun Bridge, and got into a tough fight. Man vs. tank fought there for an en�re night. The force con�nued towards Ali al-Muntar Hill, where a fierce ba�le was fought over the hill. On June 6, on the second day of the figh�ng, the force arrived at the entrances of Gaza City. Another infantry force, which operated from the direc�on of Nahal Oz and had previously captured the al-Kuba outpost, also controlled the city of Gaza. The next day, on June 7, the paratroopers from the Tal division completed the occupa�on of Khan Yunis. On 06/08/1966, the 28th of Iyar 5727, when the excited call of Mota Gur came out of Jerusalem - "The Temple Mount is in our hands," the en�re Gaza Strip was also in Israeli hands.31
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