Palestinians around the world marked the 78th anniversary of the Nakba (catastrophe) on May 15, a day that recalls the expulsion and dispossession of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. This year's observance carried added weight amid the continuing Gaza conflict and unrest in the West Bank.
Protests, memorial services, and cultural events were held from the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem to Palestinian diaspora communities abroad. Many carried Palestinian flags and raised banners calling for justice, remembering nearly eight decades of loss and suffering.
The Nakba, Arabic for 'catastrophe,' occurred when more than 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes following the establishment of the state of Israel. Many of them and their descendants still live in refugee camps in Gaza, the West Bank, and neighboring countries, and the right of return remains a core disputed issue in peace negotiations.
This year's anniversary comes as the devastating Gaza conflict shows no sign of ending, leaving thousands dead and causing a severe humanitarian crisis. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and world leaders have called for an immediate ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid.
For Palestinians, the Nakba is not only a historical event but a present reality, as generations continue to live in exile, homelessness, and under occupation. The commemoration serves as a reminder of past injustices and an international appeal to act to end the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
