Palestinian population grew tenfold since '48 Nakba: Statistics bureau
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The Palestinian Bureau of Statistics reports that the number of Palestinians in occupied Palestine and abroad has increased approximately tenfold since the Nakba of 1948.
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A Palestinian holds up a key symbolizing their set return to homes they were expelled from in the war that led to the occupation of Palestine in 1948 during a rally in Gaza Strip, May 15, 2022. (AP)
The Palestinian Bureau of Statistics reported, on Sunday, that the number of Palestinians in Palestine and abroad has increased nearly tenfold since the Nakba of 1948.
The Bureau added in a statement that "despite the displacement of about one million Palestinians in 1948 and more than 200,000 Palestinians after the June 1967 war, the total number of Palestinians worldwide reached 14.63 million by the end of 2023."
Moreover, the statement underscored that "5.55 million of them [Palestinians] reside in the State of Palestine and about 1.75 million Palestinians in the 1948 territories, while the number of Palestinians in Arab countries reached about 6.56 million and those in foreign countries stand at about 772,000."
"Thus, the number of Palestinians in historic Palestine reached about 7.3 million Palestinians, while the number of Jews is estimated at 7.2 million by the end of 2023, which means that the number of Palestinians exceeds the number of Jews in historic Palestine," the statement added.
It was also mentioned that "the Israeli occupation exploits more than 85% of the total area of historic Palestine."
“Our children and grandchildren will never forget #Palestine.”
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 18, 2023
Maryam Nemer Mahmoud's family bore witness to the heart-wrenching events of the #Nakba in Palestine, here’s her story. pic.twitter.com/DL30lh22qD
Additionally, the statement reviewed some of the events of the Nakba, which displaced or forced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians out of their cities and villages.
The statement mentioned that "more than one million Palestinians were displaced from a total of 1.4 million Palestinians residing in historic Palestine in 1948."
It explained that in 1948, "the Israeli occupation took control of 774 Palestinian villages and towns, 531 of which were completely destroyed, while the remainder were subjected to the occupation entity and its laws."
The statement added that "this process of cleansing was accompanied by more than 70 massacres committed by Zionist gangs against Palestinians, resulting in the martyrdom of more than 15,000 of them."
Regarding the number of Palestinians killed in the ongoing struggle with "Israel" over the past 76 years, the statement said that "more than 134,000 have been martyred defending Palestinian rights since the Nakba of 1948."
Denying Palestinian existence has been a fundamental cornerstone of Zionism, which has been trying to erase Palestine's existence altogether by massively seizing #Palestinian lands and properties, as well as unlawfully killing, forcibly displacing, and exiling Palestinians.
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) March 22, 2024
In… pic.twitter.com/IRn1H5U4LP
It continued, "The number of martyrs since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000 until April 30, 2024, reached about 46,500 martyrs, in addition to about 35,000 martyrs in the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip from October 7, 2023, until May 7, 2024."
The statement reported that among the victims in Gaza are "more than 14,873 children and 9,801 women, in addition to more than 141 journalists, while more than 7,000 citizens are considered missing, most of whom are women and children, according to the records of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip."
Regarding the West Bank, 492 martyrs have risen since the beginning of the Israeli occupation aggression on October 7, 2023, according to the statement.
Silent Nakba: IOF demolish 47 homes in al-Naqab, exiles Palestinians
Israeli occupation forces demolished, on May 8, 47 homes belonging to the Abu Asa bedouin family in the Palestinian desert of al-Naqab, leaving them in permanent exile.
The supreme Arab guidance committee of the region stated that Israeli occupation forces had planned road closures in the area early in the morning to prevent protests.
According to the committee, this demolition marks the largest single-day home demolition operation in decades.
The Bedouin groups residing in al-Naqab are traditional Arab tribes with a history of cultivating the land dating back to the 16th century.
Rafah has a long history of confrontations with "Israel", yet each time, Israeli occupation forces are met with the unwavering resilience of the #Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/rW7l3ugC7N
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 7, 2024
It is important to note that this comes amid the ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip and the daily raids into the West Bank.
