Rafah is a city located in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestine. It serves as the capital of the Rafah Governorate and is situated approximately 30 kilometers southwest of Gaza City. As of 2017, the city had a recorded population of 171,889.
The city has experienced significant demographic shifts and physical destruction due to conflict. By February 2024, it hosted approximately 1.4 million displaced people from Gaza City and Khan Yunis, representing about 70% of the Gaza population. By April 2025, most of the city had been destroyed by Israeli forces and fell under Israeli control.