Home NewsAsia Palestinians Observe 77th Nakba Anniversary Under Genocide

Palestinians Observe 77th Nakba Anniversary Under Genocide

Palestinians mark another year since the 1948 displacement, known as the Nakba, amidst a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

by Zahid Jadwat

As Palestinians observe the 77th anniversary of the Nakba, or “catastrophe,” which refers to the 1948 displacement and dispossession, the situation in the Gaza Strip remains critical. Reports indicate that Israeli air strikes have resulted in numerous fatalities, compounding the somber reflections on a historical event that continues to shape Palestinian identity and the ongoing genocide.

 

The Nakba, commemorated annually on May 15th, marks the period when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The Palestine Chronicle notes that between 750 000 and one million Palestinians, approximately 75 percent of the Palestinian population at the time, were affected. Zionist militias are reported to have attacked Palestinian towns and villages, destroying over 500 villages and causing around 15 000 deaths between 1947 and 1949.

 

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Current genocide and humanitarian concerns

The anniversary this year is set against a backdrop of intense battle in Gaza. Palestinian rescuers stated 94 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Thursday. Mahmud Basal, a civil defence agency spokesman, confirmed this number to AFP.

 

The Health Ministry in Gaza stated on Thursday that 2 876 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes on March 18th, bringing the overall death toll in Gaza since October 7, 2023, to 53 010. The humanitarian situation is also severe, with most Gazans displaced and aid access restricted.

 

Israel blocked all aid from entering Gaza on March 2nd, before resuming operations on March 18th. However, concerns about aid distribution persist. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a US-supported NGO, has indicated it plans to begin distributing humanitarian aid this month after discussions with Israeli officials.

 

The ongoing violence and displacement draw parallels for many Palestinians to the historical events of the Nakba. In Cape Town, South Africa, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) has urged local government to illuminate the Cape Town City Hall in the colours of the Palestinian flag.

 

In the West Bank, raids continue after an attack that killed a pregnant Israeli woman. Israel’s military chief has vowed to find the perpetrators. In a separate incident in the northern West Bank town of Tammun, an army raid on Thursday killed four Palestinians.

 

 

Image: Jdeed Labs

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