Palestinians marked the 76th anniversary of the Nakba amidst escalating conflict, with reports of significant displacements and casualties, sparking international criticism and concerns about mass expulsion. Israeli military strategies and governance issues in Gaza have intensified the crisis, with humanitarian implications and extensive infrastructural damage.
On May 14, 2024, Palestinians marked the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, the mass expulsion from what is now Israel in 1948, during the Arab-Israeli war following Israel’s establishment. Approximately 700,000 Palestinians were displaced, leading to a longstanding refugee issue, with current numbers estimated at around 6 million. Many refugees live in camps across the Middle East, including in the Gaza Strip, where they constitute about three-quarters of the population.
This longstanding conflict context has been exacerbated by a recent escalation, where a significant number of Palestinians have been displaced again owing to expanded Israeli military operations in Gaza, in response to a Hamas attack on October 7, 2022. This attack reportedly resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 Israelis, prompting a severe retaliatory strike by Israel. Reports from Gaza’s health officials indicate over 35,000 Palestinian fatalities since the conflict escalated.
The conflict has driven approximately 1.7 million Palestinians to abandon their homes in Gaza. This crisis has invited international criticism and concerns about a potential mass expulsion, however, Israel has dismissed the idea of forcibly displacing Palestinians large scale, suggesting voluntary emigration instead.
Concurrently, Israeli military strategy and the seeming absence of a post-conflict governance plan for Gaza have stirred discontent within Israeli military ranks, suggesting a rift between military leadership and government officials. Notably, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been resisting international and domestic calls for ceasefire and strategizing post-war governance, focusing instead on military solutions including the sustained demilitarization of Gaza.
This developing situation has significant humanitarian implications with the UN condemning all attacks on its personnel and calling for immediate cease-fire. The ongoing conflict has also led to extensive infrastructural damage in Gaza, with the World Bank estimating damages up to $18.5 billion.
