Palestinians in Gaza mark anniversary of 1948 mass expulsion ‘Nakba’, say today's catastrophe is worse

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As Palestinians mark the 78th anniversary of the Nakba — Arabic for 'catastrophe' — the commemoration this year unfolds against the backdrop of a war in Gaza that many survivors describe as an even greater catastrophe. The Nakba refers to the mass expulsion and flight of some 750,000 Palestinians from what is now Israel during the 1948 war surrounding Israel's creation, according to multiple reports.

This Friday's anniversary is the third Nakba commemoration since the current war in Gaza began, with more than two million people displaced and confined to a fraction of the territory, according to Al Jazeera and The Hindu.

Coverage comparison

Reporting on the anniversary has centered on the personal story of Yusuf Abu Hamam, a Nakba survivor who was forced to flee his village of al-Joura as an infant in 1948. The village was demolished by the Israeli military at the time and has since vanished under neighbourhoods of the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon and the grounds of a national park, as reported by the South China Morning Post and The Hindu.

Abu Hamam's family resettled in the Shati Camp in the northern Gaza Strip, where he spent most of his life. That neighbourhood now lies largely in ruins, its buildings razed and wrecked by Israeli bombardment and demolitions during the past two and a half years of war, both outlets reported.

"There is no country left," Abu Hamam said, speaking next to his home, which was heavily damaged by Israeli shelling earlier in the war, according to The Hindu.

While the South China Morning Post and The Hindu focus on Abu Hamam's story, Al Jazeera's coverage emphasizes the broader historical and political context, describing the Nakba as a "systematic dispossession and displacement" and linking it to ongoing demands for justice, self-determination, and the right of return.

Key claims

• Nakba definition: The Nakba refers to the mass expulsion and flight of some 750,000 Palestinians from what is now Israel during the 1948 war. This fact is consistently reported across all three sources.
• Al-Joura village: The village of al-Joura was demolished by the Israeli military in 1948, according to multiple reports.
• Current displacement: The current war has caused widespread displacement and destruction in Gaza, with most of the population now crammed into less than half of the 25-mile-long strip along the Mediterranean coast, surrounded by an Israeli-controlled zone, as reported by The Hindu and Al Jazeera.
• Israeli territorial control: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel's military now controls 60% of the territory, according to a single report from The Hindu. This figure has not been independently verified by other sources in this coverage.
• Casualties and losses: Al Jazeera reports that over 72,700 Palestinians have been killed in the offensive, according to local health officials, and that around 90% of Gaza's population has lost their homes, with most sheltering in tent camps. These figures are not mentioned in the other two sources.
• Refugee numbers: Al Jazeera states that the number of registered Palestinian refugees is around six million, and that around 530 Palestinian villages were destroyed during the 1948 war. These statistics appear only in that outlet's coverage.

Perspectives

Palestinian perspective: The Nakba is seen as an ongoing catastrophe, not just a historical event. Survivors like Abu Hamam express that the current war is worse than 1948, as they face displacement, destruction, and the loss of personal histories and documents. Commemorations serve as a reminder of the right of return and a call for justice and self-determination, according to Al Jazeera.

Israeli perspective: While not extensively covered in these reports, The Hindu notes that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu celebrated Jerusalem Day, highlighting Israeli control over the territory. The Israeli government has not commented directly on the Nakba commemorations in the provided sources.

Historical context: Historians estimate that about 750,000 Palestinians — roughly one-third of the population at the time — were forced from their homes, and more than 400 villages and urban neighbourhoods were depopulated or destroyed to make way for new Jewish immigrants, as reported by Al Jazeera.