imported>President Loki at 05:32, 8 June 2025

2025-06-08T05:32:05Z

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{{Short description|Neighborhood in Gaza, Palestine}}
{{otheruses|Hawa (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name =Tel al-Hawa
|settlement_type =Neighborhood
|official_name =Tel al-Islam
|other_name =
|native_name ={{nobold|{{lang|ar|تل الهوا}}}}
|nickname =
|image_skyline =
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|pushpin_map = Palestine Gaza 
|pushpin_label_position =bottom
|pushpin_map_caption =Location in Gaza Strip
|pushpin_mapsize = 250
|subdivision_type = Region
|subdivision_name = Palestine
|subdivision_type1 = [[Governorates of Syria|Governorate]]
|subdivision_name1 = [[Gaza Governorate]]
|subdivision_type2 = City
|subdivision_name2 = [[Gaza City|Gaza]]
|subdivision_type3 =
|subdivision_name3 =
| leader_title = Control
| leader_name = {{flagicon|Hamas}} [[Hamas]]
|government_footnotes =
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|unit_pref =Metric 
|population_blank1_title =Ethnicities
|timezone = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
|utc_offset = +2
|timezone_DST = +3
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|coordinates = {{coord|31|30|30.97|N|34|26|4.5|E|region:PS|display=inline}}
|elevation_footnotes =
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'''Tel al-Hawa''' ({{langx|ar|تل الهوا}}, "Hill of the Wind") is a neighborhood in the southern part of the [[Palestinian people|Palestinian]] city of [[Gaza City|Gaza]]. Incorporated by the [[Palestinian National Authority]] in the late 1990s, Tel al-Hawa is one of the more affluent areas of the city.<ref name="Ma'an"/> It contains the [[Islamic University in Gaza]] and the [[Interior Minister of the Palestinian National Authority|Interior Ministry]] of the [[Palestinian National Authority]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7804218.stm Gaza air campaign 'a first stage'] ''[[BBC News]]''. 2009-01-02.</ref>

== History ==
Tel al-Hawa was formerly the headquarters of the [[Preventive Security Service]], until [[Battle of Gaza (2007)|Hamas took over the Gaza Strip]] in 2007 and turned it into a police station.<ref>[http://conflictblotter.com/2007/06/16/59/ Inside Tel al Hawa] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006032756/http://conflictblotter.com/2007/06/16/59/ |date=2011-10-06 }} Conflict Blotter.</ref> After capturing the neighborhood, [[Hamas]] militiamen had it renamed to "Tel al-Islam".<ref>[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3412813,00.html Hamas: We'll execute Fatah leaders] ''[[YNET]]''. 2007-06-14.</ref> The [[Doghmush]] family held journalist [[Alan Johnston]] in Tel al-Hawa between March and July 2007, until Hamas secured his release.<ref>[https://archive.today/20070629055833/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/hamas-surrounds-kidnap-hideout-as-johnstons-fate-hangs-in-balance-455841.html Hamas surrounds kidnap hideout as Johnston's fate hangs in balance] ''Independent''.</ref>

The neighborhood was severely damaged in the [[Gaza War (2008–09)|2008–09 Gaza War]], codenamed "Operation Cast Lead" by [[Israel]]. It was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting of the war. Dozens of Hamas fighters were killed or wounded, and a dozen [[Israel Defense Forces|IDF]] soldiers were also killed and wounded. At least 12 civilians were killed.<ref name="Ma'an">[http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=207918 Tel Al-Hawa: The invasion and then after]. [[Ma'an News Agency]], January 17, 2009</ref>

===Battle of Tel al-Hawa===

Tel al-Hawa was the site of significant Israeli military activity during the [[Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip]] during the [[Gaza war]]. On November 4, 2023, [[Al-Qassam Brigades]] claimed to have destroyed an Israeli tank that had entered Tel al-Hawa.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Raafat |first=Shaimaa |date=2023-11-05 |title=Al-Qassam destroys Israeli tank in Tal al-Hawa with ‘Al-Yassin 105’ shell |url=https://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2023/11/05/al-qassam-destroys-israeli-tank-in-tal-al-hawa-with-al-yassin-105-shell/ |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=Dailynewsegypt |language=en-US}}</ref>

On February 10, 2024, the body of [[Hind Rajab]], a six-year-old who was trapped in a car with all her relatives killed and who had called the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance to find her, was found dead in Tel al-Hawa along with the two drivers of the ambulance that were dispatched to find her.<ref>{{Cite web |title=
'They killed her twice': Hind Rajab's mother mourns girl, 6, found killed days after being trapped under Israeli fire |website=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/hind-rajab-gaza-girl-6-found-dead-trapped-israeli-fire-rcna138263 |access-date=2024-02-11}}</ref>

On July 8, 2024, there were reports of a large-scale Israeli invasion into Tel al-Hawa, beginning with a large wave of [[Airstrike|airstrikes]] followed by a ground offensive.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fabian |first=Emanuel |date=8 July 2024 |title=IDF troops advance into Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa neighborhood – Palestinian media reports |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-troops-advance-into-gaza-citys-tel-al-hawa-neighborhood-palestinian-media-reports/ |website=The Times of Israel}}</ref> After the IDF withdrew, rescuers in Gaza found 60 dead bodies scattered across the neighbourhood.<ref name="Reuters20240712">{{Cite web |last1=Al-Mughrabi |first1=Nidal |last2=Abu Alkas |first2=Dawoud |date=12 July 2024 |title=Rescuers say they find dozens of bodies after Israelis scale back Gaza City fight with Hamas |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israeli-forces-pull-back-after-gaza-city-offensive-leaving-dozens-bodies-rescue-2024-07-12/ |website=Reuters}}</ref> They reported "there are bodies of entire families, there are also bodies inside a home of an entire family that was completely burned."<ref name="Reuters20240712" /> Rescuers said that the Israeli army had set homes on fire before withdrawing and firefighters had to reach these buildings on foot.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-12 |title=Devastation in Tal Al-Hawa-: Charred Bodies, Burned Homes Found after Israeli Retreat |url=https://www.palestinechronicle.com/devastation-in-tal-al-hawa-charred-bodies-burned-homes-found-after-israeli-retreat/ |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=Palestine Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref>

In July 2024, despite being initially impeded by the Israeli military, civil defense forces uncovered more than 40 bodies trapped beneath collapsed buildings in the neighborhood after an Israeli retreat from the area; the military did not comment on the matter.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-12 |title=Emergency workers uncover dozens of bodies in a Gaza City district after Israeli assault |url=https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-tel-al-hawa-hospital-0b0b323dd471bacd18d135cf9e597e0b |access-date=2024-12-03 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>

Abubaker Abed, reporting from Tel al-Hawa during the [[2025 Gaza war ceasefire]] period showed video of demolished residential apartment buildings, numerous destroyed fire engines, water tankers, and obliterated rescue equipment of the Gaza City Civil Defense Forces. He described the destruction he recorded there as "an attempt was made to annihilate the social fabric of life" in Tel al-Hawa.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=lSUlbIeK2dw |title=What I saw touring Gaza after Israel's genocide, with Abubaker Abed |date=2025-02-15 |last=The Electronic Intifada |access-date=2025-02-20 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Gaza City}}

[[Category:Neighborhoods of Gaza City]]
[[Category:Upper class]]
{{coord|31|30|32.63|N|34|26|12.90|E|display=title}}

Tel al-Hawa - Revision history

imported>President Loki at 05:32, 8 June 2025