Khan Yunis

Introduction

Khan Yunis, also spelled Khan Younis or Khan Yunus, is a city in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestine, and serves as the capital of the Khan Yunis Governorate. It has been largely destroyed during the Gaza war, and is currently split by the yellow line, with Hamas controlling its north and Israel controlling its south.

If you are considering travel here, understand that the city is not a functioning destination: the war has left it largely destroyed, and the yellow line divides its northern and southern parts under different controlling authorities. Any planning must begin from that reality rather than from the usual concerns of a city guide.

Three days in Khan Yunis

Day one: Start in Khan Yunis, the city at the heart of Khan Yunis Governorate in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. The name also appears as Khan Younis or Khan Yunus, and you will see all three spellings around the governorate. Begin with the city centre, where the streets give you your first sense of daily life in Gaza.

Day two: Stay within Khan Yunis and let the governorate set your pace. Khan Younis and Khan Yunus are the same place under different spellings, so do not treat them as separate stops. If you want a slower day, keep to one part of the city rather than crossing the whole Gaza Strip.

Day three: Use your last day to fill in what you missed in Khan Yunis. It is worth remembering that Gaza, Hamas and Israel shape the context around any visit, so plan around what is open and reachable. Any route you choose should stay inside the places named here, and you can end where you began, in Khan Yunis.