EREZ & SAPPHIRE

Erez (Hebrew: אֶרֶז, lit. 'cedar') is a kibbutz in southwestern Israel. Located just 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north of the Gaza Strip, it is the namesake of the nearby Erez Crossing. The kibbutz was founded in 1949 and moved to its current location in 1950. In 2019, it had a population of 558. Located in the northwestern Negev around 18 kilometres (11 mi) south of the coastal city of Ashkelon, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Shaʽar HaNegev Regional Council.