History of Khan Yunis

From Khan Yunis' northern buildings, two Islamic militants killed an Israeli civilian Tali Hatuel, who was eight months pregnant, and her four daughters, ages 2 to 11, on May 2, 2004, forcing them off the road and shooting them at close range. The next week, her memorial service was attacked at the same site. One building was also used as cover for an explosive-laden tunnel, which blew up an Israeli (IDF) occupation outpost on June 27 of that year. After each attack, the Israeli Defence Forces bulldozed some of the structures used by the militants.

On December 16, 2004, the Israel Defense Forces raided the town with armoured bulldozers and tanks in order to stop mortar shelling of Israeli towns. In the six weeks before the operation, about 80 mortar shells and Qassam rockets had hit the Gush Katif settlement. Khan Yunis have been the target of frequent raids by the Israeli defence forces, and heavy battles have ensued in the area. In 2005, Israel attempted to isolate the area, but failed because of Hamas resistance.

In 2006 Hamas took power in the Gaza Strip. Since Israel's 2005 Gaza Disengagement, over 2,000 Qassam rockets have been launched from Khan Yunis into Israel, mostly to the Southern Israeli city of Sderot. In January 2009, members of the Shurrab family were killed by Israeli Defence Force members during a "lull" in fighting in the war in Gaza