Kfar Aza

Kfar Aza (Hebrew: כְּפַר עַזָּה, lit. 'Gaza Village') is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located between Netivot and Sderot around five kilometres (3.1 mi) east of Gaza, it falls under the jurisdiction of Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council. In 2021, it had a population of 765.[1]

Kfar Aza
כפר עזה
Kfar Aza is located in Ashkelon region of Israel
Kfar Aza
Kfar Aza
Kfar Aza is located in Israel
Kfar Aza
Kfar Aza
Coordinates: 31°29′1″N 34°32′2″E
CountryIsrael
DistrictSouthern
CouncilSha'ar HaNegev
AffiliationKibbutz Movement
FoundedAugust 1951
Founded byMaghrebi Jews
Population
 (2021)[1]
765
Websitewww.kfar-aza.org.il

History

The kibbutz was established in August 1951 by Jewish immigrants and refugees from Egypt and the Moroccan city of Tangier who had received training in Ein Harod, Ayelet HaShahar and later Afikim. It was temporarily abandoned in 1955, and in January 1957 members of the Mita'arim gar'in moved in.[2]

Before the 2023 massacre, the village had more than 700 residents, as well as a school and a synagogue.[3]

2023 massacre
Main article: Kfar Aza massacre

As part of a broad surprise attack on more than 20 towns and villages in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, approximately 70 Hamas militants infiltrated Kfar Aza, massacred residents, and left the village in ruins.[4][3] The Hamas infiltrators attacked the village from four directions.[5] They destroyed the gate around the town's perimeter and indiscriminately killed residents, torched cars and homes, and forced entry to homes using rocket-propelled grenades.[4] More than a hundred civilians died.[6]

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin hosts veterans of the kibbutz on its 60th anniversary, 2017

The Israel Defense Forces retook control of the village by 11 October 2023.[7][4] The corpses of about 20 Hamas attackers were found in the town, along with paragliders used by Hamas[3] and unexploded hand grenades.[3][4]

Economy

Kafrit Industries, a plastics manufacturer located in Kfar Aza, is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.[8] Kfar Aza was a pioneer in automated watering systems on farms.[9]

References
  1. "Regional Statistics". Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  2. "About Kfar Aza". Kfar Aza. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  3. McNeil, Sam (10 October 2023). "Israeli village near the Gaza border lies in ruin, filled with the bodies of residents and militants". AP News. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  4. Bowen, Jeremy (10 October 2023). "Inside Kfar Aza where Hamas militants killed families in their homes". BBC News. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  5. Pfeffer, Anshel (12 October 2023). "'Babies had their throats cut': how Kfar Aza kibbutz massacre unfolded". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  6. "Corpses and kids' bikes, burned homes and death in kibbutz where Hamas butchered 100". The Times of Israel. 11 October 2023. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  7. Zedek, Nicole (10 October 2023). "'It smells of death here': Surveying the atrocities committed by Hamas in Kfar Aza". i24News. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  8. Kfar Aza plastics company hoping to return to activity after murder of three team members by Hamas, Calcalist
  9. Water-related Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture in Arid/semiarid Lands
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