Hulayqat was a Palestinian Arab village in the Gaza Subdistrict. It was depopulated during the 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine. It was located 20.5 km northeast of Gaza.
History Hulayqat's lands hosted numerous khirbas. Artifacts include pieces of marble and pottery as well as cisterns and a pool.Khalidi, 1992, p. 104
Ottoman era During the 17th and 18th centuries, the area of Hulayqat experienced a significant process of settlement decline due to nomadic pressures on local communities. The residents of abandoned villages moved to surviving settlements, but the land continued to be cultivated by neighboring villages.
In 1838, in the Ottoman era, Huleikat was noted as village in the Gaza district.Robinson and Smith, 1841, vol 3, Appendix 2, p. 119
An Ottoman village list from about 1870 showed that Hulayqat had a population of 55, with a total of 14 houses, though the population count included men, only.Socin, 1879, p. 149Hartmann, 1883, p. 148
In 1883, the PEF's Survey of Western Palestine described it as a "small village on a flat slope, with a high sandy hill to the west. It has cisterns and a pond, with a small garden to the west."Conder and Kitchener, 1883, SWP III, p. 260
British Mandate era
In the 1922 census of Palestine, conducted by the British Mandate authorities, Hukiqat had a population of 251 inhabitants, all Muslims,Barron, 1923, Table V, Sub-district of Gaza, p. 8 increasing in the 1931 census to 285, still all Muslims, in 61 houses.Mills, 1932, p. 3
In the 1945 statistics Huleiqat had a population of 420 Muslims, with a total of 7,063 dunams of land, according to an official land and population survey. Of this, 115 dunams were used for plantations and irrigable land, 6,636 for cereals,Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 87 while they had 18 dunams as built-up land.Government of Palestine, Department of Statistics. Village Statistics, April, 1945. Quoted in Hadawi, 1970, p. 137
In 1947, an oil drilling project commenced in Hulayqat employing 300 Arab workers.Drilling begins near Gaza
1948, aftermath The village was first captured by the Israeli army on 13 May during Operation Barak and depopulated.Tal, 2004, p. 174Morris, 2004, p. 258 On 8 July, it was retaken by the Egyptian army. A well-fortified battalion of the 4th Brigade was stationed there later reinforced by more troops.Tal, 2004, p. 385 and some of the villagers returned to their homes. It was finally captured on 19 October by the Giv'ati Brigade during Operation Yoav.
According to the Palestinian historian Walid Khalidi, the ruin of the village in 1992 was partially forested with sycamore, Christ's-thorn trees and cactus. One of the old roads had been paved.
See also Battles of the Separation Corridor
References
Bibliography
External links Welcome To Hulayqat Hulayqat, Zochrot Survey of Western Palestine, Map 20: IAA, Wikimedia commons Hulayqat, from the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Center