May 15 is Nakba Day, an annual day of commemoration that holds additional relevance this year amid the ongoing bombardment, displacement and blockade of Palestinians in Gaza. Here, we look at the origins and significance of the day. 

What is Nakba Day?

Nakba Day is commemorated annually on May 15. It marks the beginning of the destruction of the Palestinian homeland, and the mass displacement in 1948 of the majority of the Palestinian population. 

Nakba means ‘catastrophe’ in Arabic and is the word used by Palestinians and others to refer to this historic moment. For some, the term is also used to describe the subsequent and ongoing persecution of Palestinians and loss of territory.   

In 1998, Nakba Day was officially inaugurated by Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, though the date had been marked with protests of remembrance and resistance since 1949. 

What happened in May 1948?

May 1948 saw the start of a mass displacement in which over 700,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes.  

Over the course of the 1948 Palestine War, which lasted until January 1949, Israeli forces destroyed more than 530 Palestinian villages and carried out several massacres, killing some 15,000 people.  

78% of Palestine’s historic territory was captured and used to establish what is now Israel. The remaining land was divided into today’s Occupied Palestinian Territory – the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. 

Following Israeli victory in the war, abandoned homes were given to Jewish settlers. The descendants of many of the Palestinians who fled in 1948 remain displaced to this day, both within Palestine and around the world. There are now some 6 million Palestine refugees.  

What led up to this?

From 1920 until May 1948, Britain ruled over a territory called Mandatory Palestine under an agreement by the League of Nations – a precursor to the United Nations. 

Following the end of World War II and the Holocaust, the British announced their intention to end the mandate, and the newly created United Nations began seeking to redraw the boundaries of Palestine to allow for the creation of a Jewish state.  

None of the various partition plans suggested received support from the Palestinians or The Arab League. However, when the mandate ended, the establishment of the state of Israel was declared, triggering the 1948 Palestine War, also known as the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. 

What happened after the Nakba?

In the 77 years since the Nakba, the Israeli state has continued to encroach into Palestinian territory, displacing families and violating international law in the process.  

Among the major instances of this was the Six Day War of 1967, which saw Israeli forces occupy all of historic Palestine, including Gaza and the West Bank, expelling 300,000 people from their homes. 

In the decades since, tensions in the region have remained high, with relatively frequent flare ups. However, the scale of the current escalation is truly unprecedented: in Gaza over 52,700 people have been killed; and many more displaced, often repeatedly. Among the displaced are people who moved to Gaza from elsewhere in Palestine after the Nakba, and their descendants

What was Palestine like before the Nakba?

Immediately before the Nakba, Palestine was administered by the British. The establishment of Mandatory Palestine took place in a period of intense European colonial expansion and followed the expulsion of Ottoman forces from the Levant in the Arab Revolt (1916-18). 

During the Mandatory period, Palestine became a cohesive political unit with Jerusalem as its capital. The period saw advances in bureaucracy, infrastructure and technology, and is also considered to have laid the groundwork for the establishment of Israel in part by promoting Jewish immigration and depriving Palestinians of self-rule. 

Prior to the Mandatory period, Palestine had been part of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years. 

What are the long-term consequences of the Nakba?

The Nakba resulted in the world’s longest running unresolved refugee crisis, with over 6 million Palestine refugees worldwide. Many live in neighbouring countries including Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, and, in some cases, Palestinian refugees in the Middle East have endured wars and further displacement in their host countries.  

The enormous loss of territory which began with the Nakba continues to affect the everyday lives of Palestinians. Many valuable resources are in land now claimed by Israel, preventing Palestinians from accessing them and potentially growing their economy. 

The Israeli occupation, which has been ruled illegal under international law, affects every aspect of Palestinians’ lives. It denies their basic human rights, undermines their dignity and entrenches poverty. It restricts movement, trade and access to water, services, farmland, markets and religious sites. It cuts Palestinians in Gaza, East Jerusalem and the West Bank off from each other, separating friends and families.

Gaza has been under Israeli blockade since 2007. The blockade restricts the movement of goods and people in and out of the Strip, devastating the economy and people’s futures and disrupting humanitarian efforts. For years, thousands of essential items have been restricted from entering Gaza because Israel considers them to have a ‘dual use’, meaning items that could potentially be used for both civilian and military purposes. In practice this can include almost anything that people need – things like fuel, water filters, solar pumps and surgical scissors have been refused entry.

Since October 2023 Israel has tightened the blockade even further, preventing many more vital items from entering. On 2 March 2025 Israel completely closed all crossings into Gaza and has stopped all food, medicine, fuel and other lifesaving supplies from entering.

How is Nakba Day commemorated?

For many, Nakba Day is an opportunity to draw attention to the historic persecution of Palestinians and highlight that this is still very much ongoing, particularly now, amid the unprecedented escalation.

Nakba Day is also a time to celebrate Palestine’s rich culture and history outside of a narrative of suffering, which for many defines the territory and its people. Palestinians are not only resilient, they are talented writers and dancers, gifted embroiderers and generous hosts.  

In 2023, for the first time in history, the United Nations marked Nakba Day. The global body held an event to “serve as a reminder of the historic injustice suffered by the Palestinian people,” as well as to highlight the ongoing refugee crisis. The event included speeches, music, photos and personal testimonies. 

More than 30 countries voted against the resolution to commemorate Nakba Day, reflecting the inability of many states to balance acknowledgement of Palestinian suffering with their own support of Israel. Israel often opposes official and unofficial commemorations of Nakba Day, describing them as an obstacle to peace in the region. 

Why is Islamic Relief talking about Nakba Day?

Islamic Relief has been working in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since 1997, supporting Palestinians in need through emergency response efforts and development programming. Throughout the crisis we have delivered lifesaving aid such as more than 70 million hot meals, water supplies, hygiene kits and psychosocial support for children.

Many of our staff and local partners have become displaced since October 2023 and are facing the same challenges as the communities we support. Our office in Gaza is among the almost 900,000 buildings destroyed or damaged by the ongoing bombing campaign. 

Despite immense challenges, we continue to support vulnerable people in Gaza whenever and wherever we can, through food and water distributions, orphan sponsorship and other assistance. This support is a lifeline for thousands of families in a time of desperate need.  

However, our work and the work of many global and local humanitarian organisations is being curtailed as a direct result of the ongoing violence. Without a ceasefire, and an end to the blockade of Gaza, the support we can offer the people who so desperately need it is limited and nowhere near sufficient. 

Islamic Relief is taking the opportunity presented by Nakba Day to remind donors, decision-makers and the general public, of the longstanding struggle and suffering of the Palestinian people. Their suffering is not consigned to the history books: it is a deepening and devastating humanitarian crisis unfolding before the eyes of the world. We are calling on international governments to demand a ceasefire, an end to the siege and full humanitarian access. As we near 600 days of the current escalation, families are still being separated, starved and killed. International governments must ensure that Palestinians can stay on their land.

This is the present-day reality for everyone in Gaza, but whether it remains their future too depends on the decisions made by world leaders and international bodies today.   

Please help Islamic Relief to continue supporting families in desperate need in Gaza. Donate to our Palestine Emergency Appeal now.