A Second Nakba: Gaza's Displaced Recall History Repeating

"There is no country left... A square kilometer and a half extending from the sea, this is what we are living in."
— Yusuf Abu Hamam, 78, born in al-Joura village, destroyed in 1948

The ongoing war in Gaza has caused destruction and displacement on a scale that Palestinians describe as a second Nakba ("catastrophe"), comparable to the mass displacement during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. As the 78th anniversary of the Nakba is commemorated, survivors and displaced families recount the loss of homes, communities, and personal histories.

A Life Erased Twice

Yusuf Abu Hamam, 78, was born in the village of al-Joura, which was destroyed in 1948. He spent most of his life in the Shati Camp in Gaza, now largely demolished by Israeli bombardment.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on May 16, 2025, that Israel controls 60% of Gaza, with further expansion possible.

Repeated Displacement, Worsening Conditions

Ne'man and Majida Abu Jarad have been displaced more than a dozen times over 31 months. Their home town of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun have been razed, and a new Israeli military base now stands near their former home.

Majida Abu Jarad described the current situation as more severe than 1948 due to repeated displacement and lack of stability.

"When this war came, it devoured trees, stones and people. Entire families were erased from the civil registry."
— Yusuf Abu Hamam

The Scale of Destruction

Approximately 90% of Gaza's 2+ million people have lost their homes, according to U.N. estimates.
Over 72,700 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's offensive, which was triggered by the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, that killed about 1,200 Israelis and took 251 hostages.
In the northern West Bank, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced for 15 months, with at least 850 structures damaged or destroyed in refugee camps, according to Human Rights Watch.

Historical Context: The 1948 Nakba

The Nakba refers to the expulsion or flight of approximately 750,000 Palestinians from territory that became Israel during the 1948 war. About 530 Palestinian villages were destroyed, according to the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics.

Israel refused to allow refugees to return to ensure a Jewish majority; the refugee population now numbers about 6 million, mostly in camps across the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Gaza.

The Loss of Archives and Personal History

UNRWA staff evacuated the agency's archive from Gaza, carrying critical documents (birth, death, marriage certificates, refugee registration cards) in suitcases to preserve refugee status.

Majida Abu Jarad's parents' home in Beit Hanoun was destroyed, along with family photos.

"A square kilometer and a half extending from the sea, this is what we are living in."
— Yusuf Abu Hamam, describing the remaining space Palestinians occupy in Gaza