Rafah is situated in the District of Gaza, approximately 30 kilometers south of Gaza City. The town's positioning near the border crossing with Egypt made it historically significant as a transit point between Palestine and the Sinai Peninsula.
According to British Mandate village statistics, Rafah had 599 residents in 1922, which grew to 2,220 by 1945. By 1982, the population had surged to 10,800, reflecting significant demographic changes following the 1948 displacement and subsequent developments in Gaza.
Land ownership data showed Arab residents controlled 275 dunums, while Jewish ownership was absent. Public lands comprised 40,304 dunums of the approximately 40,579 total dunums. Agricultural usage reflected the region's economy: 275 dunums were irrigated plantation land, 24,173 dunums were planted with cereal crops. Historical documentation includes photographs of infrastructure like the Rafah train station from 1930 and images depicting the border crossing with Egypt.
