Auja al-Hafir

Auja al-Hafir
عوجة الحفير
El Audja[1]
Map
Coordinates: 30°52′27″N 34°26′13″E / 30.87417°N 34.43694°E / 30.87417; 34.43694
Geopolitical entityMandatory Palestine
SubdistrictBeersheba
Date of depopulation1967-06-10[2]
Population
 • Total48 (1,948)[3] + 3,500 'Azazme[4]
Cause(s) of depopulationMilitary assault by Yishuv forces
Current LocalitiesNessana

Auja al-Hafir (Arabic: عوجة الحفير, also Auja) was an ancient road junction close to water wells in the western Negev and eastern Sinai. It was the traditional grazing land of the 'Azazme tribe. The border crossing between Egypt and Ottoman/British Palestine, about 60 km (37 mi) south of Gaza, was situated there. Today it is the site of Nitzana and the Ktzi'ot prison in the Southern District of Israel.

  1. ^ El Audja on www.citymaphq.com
  2. ^ Israel Districts on statoids.com
  3. ^ Encyclopedia of the Palestine Problem Archived July 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine by Issa Nakhleh, Chapter 12, Part 4 of 4
  4. ^ Burns, Lieutenant-General E.L.M. (1962) Between Arab and Israeli. George G. Harrap. Pages 92, 93