Ottoman victory at Khan Yunis secured the advance into Egypt, accelerating the collapse of Mamluk resistance during the 1516–17 war.
Key Facts
- Date
- October 28, 1516
- Conflict
- Ottoman–Mamluk War of 1516–17
- Ottoman commander
- Grand Vizier Hadım Sinan Pasha
- Mamluk commander
- Janbirdi al-Ghazali
- Mamluk outcome
- Cavalry charge repulsed; al-Ghazali wounded and retreated to Cairo
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the Ottoman defeat of the Mamluk Sultanate at Marj Dabiq in August 1516, Ottoman forces under Grand Vizier Hadım Sinan Pasha advanced southward through the Levant toward Egypt. Mamluk commander Janbirdi al-Ghazali positioned cavalry near Gaza to block the Ottoman crossing and prevent their entry into Egyptian territory.
On October 28, 1516, near Khan Yunis in Gaza, Mamluk cavalry under Janbirdi al-Ghazali launched a charge against the Ottoman forces attempting to cross into Egypt. The Ottomans successfully broke the Mamluk assault. Al-Ghazali was wounded during the fighting, and the remaining Mamluk forces retreated southward.
With the Mamluk defensive effort at Khan Yunis defeated and al-Ghazali wounded and falling back to Cairo, Ottoman forces were able to continue their advance into Egypt unimpeded. This cleared the final military obstacle in the Levant before the decisive Ottoman conquest of Egypt, completed in early 1517.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Hadım Sinan Pasha.
Side B
1 belligerent
Janbirdi al-Ghazali.