Gevim

Gevim גבים جيفيم
31°30′27″N 34°35′55″E / 31.50750°N 34.59861°E / 31.50750; 34.59861
Country	Israel
District	Southern
Council	Sha'ar HaNegev
Affiliation	Kibbutz Movement
Founded	1947
Founded by	Palmach members
Population  (2022)[1]	619

Gevim (Hebrew: גֵּבִים, lit. Cisterns) is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located in the northwestern Negev desert near Sderot, it falls under the jurisdiction of Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council. In 2022 it had a population of 619.^[1]

History

The kibbutz was established in 1947 under the name Sde Akiva. The founding members were from the Palmach and had previously been members of HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed. It served as a headquarters for the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and was later renamed Gevim.

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  Gevim. 28 August 1947
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  Sde Akiva Aliyah 28 August 1947
• 
  Sde Akiva founders 1947
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  Sde Akiva water tank August 1947
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  Kibbutz Gevim. 1948
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  Members of Yiftach Brigade at Gevim. 1948
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  Water supply, Gevim 1948

During the 2000s, the kibbutz suffered from the repeating Qassam rocket attacks, with damage to buildings and minor injuries to residents. Based on an interview with the community manager of the kibbutz, the Goldstone Report on the Gaza conflict stated that sixty percent of the kibbutz children received psychological counselling.^[2]

Economy

In addition to agriculture, the kibbutz has a plastics factory. Poleg Plastic Industries operates two plants, one on the kibbutz and the other in Leipzig, Germany. The company is jointly owned by Kibbutz Gevim and Poli-Film Group, a private German company.^[3]

The kibbutz is located near Sha'ar HaNegev school and Sapir Academic College.

References