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It is requested that an image or photograph of Rafah be included in this article to improve its quality. Please replace this template with a more specific media request template where possible.The Free Image Search Tool or Openverse Creative Commons Search may be able to locate suitable images on Flickr and other web sites.

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On 12 June 2024, it was proposed that this article be moved to Rafah, Palestine. The result of the discussion was not moved.

Opening comment

Working on it. waiting for the library to open - can't find anything online. Ridiculous. 80.178.69.175 10:16, 9 Apr 2004 (UTC)

Anti-Tank Missiles

I made a change from the term "anti-tank missiles" being fired at IDF forces to "RPG" (rocket propelled grenade), which is more accurate. If there is evidence of an anti-tank missiles (missiles are guided, rockets are not), being used, I'd love to hear it because I'd be curious. If so, change back. Terrapin

Rafah and the Rephaim?

Could the village of Rafah possible have any connection to the "RAPHA" or "REPHAIM" mentioned in the Bible?

Needs a picture

The article needs at least a skyline photo of Rafah, to enrich the article. Once somebody finds and uploads one add it to the infobox. Al Ameer son

I agree, but I removed the photo of the bombed mosque because it was an obvious effort to push POV rather than illustrate the subject Edgespath24 (talk) 12:06, 11 November 2014 (UTC)[reply]

We can take it out of the info-box, but sadly, the picture *does* illustrate the subject. Inserting it into the body. Huldra (talk) 20:18, 11 November 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Only crossing?

I see referenes online and at Sufa to the "Sufa crossing" between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Have there been any others since the end of the 1948 war? Have they all since been closed? -- Beland 20:50, 15 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Ah, I think this meant to say it's the only crossing between Gaza and Egypt. -- Beland 16:54, 22 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Mosque in Rafah, destroyed during the Gaza War.

there is no place for this pic. it will be better to have no pic at all. Nachum (talk) 07:32, 15 September 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I wish we had a better picture, but we don´t. I cannot see that the article would be better without pictures, though. If you find a better picture with a licence which we can use, please upload it. Huldra (talk) 20:17, 15 September 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Rafiah

Wikipedia:Naming conventions (geographic names)#General guidelines: "Relevant foreign language names (one used by at least 10% of sources in the English language or is used by a group of people which used to inhabit this geographical place) are permitted." Rafiah and the whole Gaza Strip were de facto part of Israel between 1967 and 2005; therefore, according to the guidelines, the Hebrew name is permitted -- especially since the transliteration of the Hebrew name is already there. --My another account (talk) 12:17, 1 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Its not relevant, it was not de facto a part of Israel at any time (occupation is not sovereignty), and ive removed the transliteration to deal with the more pedantic part of your argument. nableezy - 15:38, 1 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

occupation is not sovereignty -- so what? Dunkirk and Lviv both give a German name in the lead, Daugavpils and Tskhinvali both give a Russian name, Nablus and Hebron both give a Hebrew name, how many more counterexamples do you need? --My another account (talk) 21:09, 1 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

You said it was de facto a part of Israel. The part you quote of my response is in regard to that falsehood. Hebron has a Hebrew speaking population and a Biblical history that warrants the inclusion of Hebrew, Nablus likewise has such a history. Rafah however does not. nableezy - 22:32, 1 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I have a couple of older Israeli maps which include Gaza Strip and West Bank as part of Israel, not even showing any border between them. Do you want me to scan them? Or what would you accept as an evidence that Israel had treated these territories as part of the country? --My another account (talk) 22:49, 1 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Lol no need. Israel never ever ever treated the Gaza Strip, or indeed the West Bank with the exception of East Jerusalem, as part of Israel. nableezy - 23:27, 1 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

You're welcome to back your conjecture with any evidence. I have presented mine. --My another account (talk) 08:37, 2 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

In addition to the above, I want to note that many articles about Israeli cities with mainly Jewish population (Eilat, Beersheba, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Tiberias, Haifa, Safed, and perhaps others) include the Arabic name in the lead, and take no offense at it. Why should the rules for Palestinian cities be any different? --My another account (talk) 22:49, 1 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Since Arabic is an official language in Israel (together with Hebrew, of course), *all* places -and persons- in Israel should have the names in both Hebrew and Arabic, Huldra (talk) 22:52, 1 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I dont know about including it for all people, but for places yes, as Huldra mentioned Arabic is an official language of Israel. Hebrew however is not an official language of the Palestinian Authority. nableezy - 23:27, 1 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

@My another account: Regarding the guideline, it allows for an etymology section instead of alternative names in the lead, which this article already has, and then says "Once such a section or paragraph is created, the alternative English or foreign names should not be moved back to the first line." Therefore you were in fact editing against the guideline. You need a better reason for your edit and I don't see one. Zero^talk 23:40, 1 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

A great many articles, including Palestine itself, do have an etymology section and a multitude of alternative names in the lead, so the guideline doesn't seem to reflect the established practice. I have started a discussion at Wikipedia talk:Naming conventions (geographic names). --My another account (talk) 08:37, 2 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

External links modified

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Corrected formatting/usage for http://www.hrw.org/reports/2004/rafah1004/rafah1004text.pdf
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Corrected formatting/usage for http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/gaza/
Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20131104160006/http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/6558F61D3DB6BD4505256593006B06BE to http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/6558F61D3DB6BD4505256593006B06BE
Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20070212181417/http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/858c88eb973847f4802564b5003d1083%21OpenDocument to http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/858c88eb973847f4802564b5003d1083%21OpenDocument

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Humanitar

https://www.inn.co.il/flashes/969325 2.55.12.247 (talk) 10:53, 1 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Apart from being in Hebrew 2.55.12.247 the report about the IDF spokesman in Arabic's announcement of a tactical truce between 10:00 and 14:00 isn't really relevant to this page. Mcljlm (talk) 14:22, 1 January 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 8 March 2024

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add to the page Meandmybrix (talk) 07:25, 8 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Not done: the copyright status of that file seems iffy to me. Either a) it is official and not the uploader's own work, and they have violated copyright by uploading it to commons under CC, b) it is unofficial and their own work, so not encyclopedic, or c) it is official and their own work, which would be pretty strange and I would want to see a source where it is used. If it is their real logo can you give a source? HansVonStuttgart (talk) 07:50, 8 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ps-rafa.html Meandmybrix (talk) 16:57, 19 November 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Removal of "State of Palestine"

Hi, on 12 February an anonymous / logged-off user removed all four mentions of "State of Palestine" in the article: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rafah&diff=prev&oldid=1206530279 I believe it should be readded, don't know what you think. 84.109.78.250 (talk) 09:05, 15 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks, fixed, but please format this kind of thing as an edit request next time per WP:MAKINGEREQ because of WP:ARBECR Sean.hoyland (talk) 09:26, 15 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Offensive

Netanyahu just approved an offensive into Rafah. Refugeee numbers prob need to be updated, current event tag, and section in history is needed soon. IEditPolitics (talk) 01:31, 16 March 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Two parts, one history (Gaza Strip & Sinai)

The article only focuses on the half-town in the Gaza Strip.

Consequences: The Negev history section mentions the Ottoman railway connecting Bir Saba with "the port of Rafah". There is none in this section, maybe in the Egyptian section? Where was the station, in which part, E or W? One cannot wikilink to this article in good faith because of that. Arminden (talk) 12:21, 12 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

@Arminden: I don't have full timing information. The north-south line split into two north-east of Rafah and these came together again well south-west of Rafah in Egypt. In 1917 the western part of that was unused. The eastern part had a station (marked as Rafa Station on maps) just over the border in Egypt. The line from Beersheba joined at this station. Zero^talk 12:42, 12 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The 1931 map (cropped) used in the article still shows an old railway track leading north to the coast and bypassing a tiny Rafah from the east. The 1938 map only has the new NE-SW tracks crossing into Egypt toward Qantara, north of Rafah. I can imagine that a pre-WWI line had its terminus on the coast at some new, small landing named after nearby Rafah. Shame that the map is so narrowly cropped.

It also looks as if in 38 Rafah still was more of an admin. centre with a police station and hardly any population. The names of the areas S of it indicate Bedouin tribes; they or part of them probably became sedentary and populated Rafah, similar to what happened at Ottoman Bir Saba (re-est. in 1900). But too much guessing.

Anyway, no Rafah west of the border till - when? 1940s (right after 48)? 1950s? 1960s? What is the story of W Rafah since 1967? Arminden (talk) 12:50, 12 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Yes the bit of old track shown on the 1931 map is the same as the Rafah-Beersheba track shown on my 1917 map and "Rafah Station" is in the same place. I only see a few scattered buildings on the Egyptian side before the 1960s, but I don't know a good source for the development. Zero^talk 13:24, 12 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I can also see a Tell Rafah on the 1938 map right where the border reaches the shore, maybe E of it by a tiny margin. What is that? Arminden (talk) 13:53, 12 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Depending on the source, it is either the site of ancient Raphia or the port of Raphia. Zero^talk 14:41, 12 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks Zero0000. I know you're focusing on maps, but when you have the sources handy, maybe you could add the info into the article? Now I checked and there is one mention of the tell, describing it as the landing place (port) of the city, which itself was more inland, like in many other cases. That makes sense, see Gaza with Maiuma and Antedon, Ashdod and Yavne with Ashdod Yam and Yavne Yam (Paralios), and maybe there are more examples. Arminden (talk) 15:55, 12 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Correcting rpwḥw to rpḥ

This edit request has been answered. Set the |answered= or |ans= parameter to no to reactivate your request.

What I think should be changed (format using {{textdiff}}):

In inset, add ", read /rpḥ/," In text, add after Rpwḥw: {{[read only Rpḥ per phonetic group-writing; no meaning supplied but visually ‘at this metaphoric tusk (foreign land)’]}}

Why it should be changed:

Gauthier (1926) "overread" the glyphs, whereas Gardiner (1957) provided the proper reading (called group-writing). I added explanatory helping text.

References supporting the possible change (format using the "cite" button):

^[1]

CMasthay,StL — Preceding unsigned comment added by CarklMasthay (talk • contribs) 14824, 24 May 2024 (UTC)

Copied from Talk:Error in Rafah page * Pppery * _{it has begun...} 18:28, 24 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

References

^ Allan Gardiner: Egyptian grammar, ed. 3, London, 1957, 1973 (ed. 1, 1927), Oxford University Press, § 60.

Not done: I would ask for consensus before making this change, but if another editor wants to make it, feel free. thetechie@enwiki: ~/talk/ $ 03:18, 2 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 6 June 2024

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F.f 114.129.4.179 (talk) 01:16, 6 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. M.Bitton (talk) 02:51, 6 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Requested move 12 June 2024

The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

The result of the move request was: not moved. (closed by non-admin page mover) Polyamorph (talk) 05:47, 19 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Rafah → Rafah, Palestine
Rafah (disambiguation) → Rafah

– There is a city Rafah in Palestine, but also across the border there is another (kinda) city Rafah in Egypt. Although Rafah, Palestine is more notable currently, both are important cities. Josethewikier (talk) 05:15, 12 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose, Palestinian town is PRIMARY by long-term significance and page views.13:21, 12 June 2024 (UTC)
oppose The one in Palestine is clearly the primary topic—blindlynx 13:37, 13 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Oppose per above. Mellk (talk) 18:13, 13 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]
Comment nominator might want to write about the Partition of Rafah, to give the area a better overview on why there are two. -- 64.229.90.32 (talk) 09:08, 14 June 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The discussion above is closed. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page. No further edits should be made to this discussion.

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 20 December 2024

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Change Rafah was to Rafah is 2A01:9700:4310:E300:69DF:4B2B:A604:4AFA (talk) 07:56, 20 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Done Zero^talk 11:06, 20 December 2024 (UTC)[reply]

[1] Allan Gardiner: Egyptian grammar, ed. 3, London, 1957, 1973 (ed. 1, 1927), Oxford University Press, § 60.

[1]