It contains hundreds of graves for Palestinians killed in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict,[2] including Hamas leaders Ahmed Yassin, Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi, and Said Siam.

[12][13][14] Initially, refugee migration to Sheikh Radwan was involuntary since Israeli authorities demolished over 2,000 shelters in the camps to widen the roads for "security reasons" and denied permits for the residents to rebuild their houses.

[16] The United Nations Relief and Works Agency and the Palestine Liberation Organization were vociferous in their opposition to the Israeli action, saying it was forced resettlement.

[17] Hamas secretary-general Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi was assassinated in Sheikh Radwan on 17 April 2004 after an Israeli Apache gunship fired on his vehicle.

[18] On 3 October 2005, armed members of Hamas assaulted the Palestinian police station in Sheikh Radwan which ended in the death of Hayam Mohammed Nassar, 30, as she stood on the patio of an adjacent balcony.

[19] Members of the Fatah controlled al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades arrived to defend the police station, and the Hamas militiamen subsequently withdrew.