Palestinians across the Middle East mark their original ‘catastrophe’ with eyes on the war in Gaza
By JOSEPH KRAUSS, ABBY SEWELL and SAMY MAGDY
Associated Press
JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinians across the Middle East are marking the anniversary of their mass expulsion from what is now Israel. Protests and other events will be held across the region on Wednesday at a time of mounting concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. The Nakba, Arabic for catastrophe, refers to the 700,000 Palestinians who fled or were driven out of what is now Israel before and during the war surrounding its creation in 1948. More than twice that number have been displaced within Gaza since the start of the latest war, which was triggered by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into Israel.