Al-Dawayima massacre, a forgotten massacre
Today is the 71st anniversary of the al-Dawayima massacre in which Palestinian civilians martyred by the Zionist regime’s army.
Today is the 71st anniversary of the al-Dawayima massacre in which Palestinian civilians martyred by the Zionist regime’s army in the Palestinian town of al-Dawayima on October 28, 1948, during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.
The incident occurred after the town was occupied by the Zionist regime’ army’s 89th Commando Battalion during Operation Yoav, encountering little resistance.
The battalion, whose first commander was Moshe Dayan, was composed of former Irgun and Lehi forces.
Benny Morris has estimated that hundreds of people were killed.
According to the reports, over 170 Palestinians martyred and hundreds wounded in this massacre.
A follow-up report delivered to the United Nations by a delegation from the Arab Refugee Congress reported that the Arab Legion had had an interest in underplaying the extent of the massacre, which was, it claimed, worse than the Deir Yassin massacre, in order to avoid further panic and refugee flight.
Al-Dawayima was a Palestinian town, located in the former Al-Khalil Subdistrict of Mandatory Palestine, and in what is now the Lakhish region, some 15 kilometres south-east of Kiryat Gat.
According to a 1945 census, the town's population was 3,710, and the village lands comprised a total land area of 60,585 dunums of which nearly half was cultivable.
The population figures for this town also included the populations of nearby khirbets, or ancient villages.
social pages
instagram telegram twiter RSS