Palestinians across the occupied West Bank commemorated the 77th Nakba anniversary on May 14th, drawing parallels between the mass displacement of 1948 and the Gaza war, Al-Monitor via AFP reported
The Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic, marks the forced displacement of an estimated 700,000 Palestinians during the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. This year’s commemoration took place against the backdrop of widespread destruction, displacement, and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
So far, Israeli military operations have killed tens of thousands and forced out nearly all of the territory’s 2.4 million residents from their homes.
“This is a miserable day in the lives of Palestinian refugees,” said Nael Nakhleh in Ramallah. His family is from al-Majdal village, near Jaffa, modern-day Israel. Nakhleh said: “Despite the painful memories, we are still living through a new Nakba every day, through the Israeli attacks on Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank.”
In Ramallah, Palestinian flags were waved and black flags were printed with the word “return”. Young boys wearing Palestinian kuffiyeh scarves held a giant replica key, an emblem of the homes Palestinians lost in 1948 and their demand to return.
No commemorative events were scheduled to take place in Gaza, where ongoing Israeli bombardment and a blockade on aid have left much of the population destitute.
Moamen al-Sherbini, from Khan Yunis in south Gaza, said to AFP that life in the enclave had become “one long Nakba – losing loved ones, our homes destroyed, our livelihoods gone.”
Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began after the October 7th 2023 attacks on Israel. Since January, at least 38,000 people have been displaced in the West Bank, the United Nations has said.
Israeli forces have carried out a large-scale military operation there, involving evacuation orders and demolitions that Israeli officials say target armed Palestinian groups.
Previously, Israel’s security cabinet approved plans for an expanded offensive in Gaza, the BBC reported on May 5th. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that his government is exploring options for relocating Gazans to third countries. The move has drawn global criticism.
“Nakba Day is no longer just a memory — it’s a daily reality we live in Gaza,” said Malak Radwan, speaking from Nuseirat, central Gaza. Radwan added: “My house was destroyed, now just a pile of stones, and we have no shelter.”
The right of return for Palestinian refugees remains a central issue in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Wasel Abu Yusef, a Palestine Liberation Organisation’s executive committee member, said Palestinians “remain more committed than ever to their right of return.”
Al-Monitor via AFP, BBC
+ There are no comments
Add yours