Battle of Nitzanim

Battle of Nitzanim
Part of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War

Nitzanim after the Egyptian bombardment.
DateJune 6–10, 1948
Location31°43′3″N 34°38′8″E / 31.71750°N 34.63556°E / 31.71750; 34.63556
Result Egyptian victory
Belligerents
 Israel  Egypt
Commanders and leaders
Israel Avraham Schwarzstein[1]
Israel Yitzhak Pundak
(53rd Battalion)
Israel Shimon Avidan
(Givati Brigade)
Kingdom of Egypt Ahmed Ali al-Mwawi
Kingdom of Egypt Muhammad Naguib
Strength
74 soldiers
67 local paramilitaries
1 mortar
1 infantry company (Hill 69)
1 reinforced infantry battalion
1 armoured platoon
18 field guns
12 anti-tank guns
Casualties and losses
33 killed
26 wounded
105 captured
20 killed (on Hill 69)
Unknown
Battle of Nitzanim is located in Mandatory Palestine
Battle of Nitzanim
Battle of Nitzanim
Location within Mandatory Palestine

The Battle of Nitzanim was fought between the Israel Defense Forces and the Egyptian Army in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, on June 7, 1948 (29 Iyar, 5708 in the Hebrew calendar). It was the first major Egyptian victory of the war, and one of the few cases of Israeli surrender.

The battle began on the night of June 6–7 with an artillery bombardment of Nitzanim, followed by an aerial bombardment and armored and infantry attacks. The main attack broke through the Israeli defenses at around 11:00; the Israelis retreated to a second position, and finally to a third position at 14:00. At 16:00, 105 Israelis surrendered to the Egyptian Army. Between June 7 and 10, the Battle of Hill 69 was fought nearby. The hill was captured by the Egyptians after a disorganized Israeli retreat.

Israelis viewed the surrender of Nitzanim as a humiliation, especially after the Givati Brigade published a leaflet denouncing the defenders. The residents of Nitzanim demanded a probe into the battle, and one was conducted by the General Staff, siding with the residents and coming to the conclusion that surrender was justified.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference izkor-schwarzstein was invoked but never defined (see the help page).