Palestine has called on the international community to recognize the 1948 violence and displacement of Palestinians, known as the Nakba, as a crime of ethnic cleansing. The appeal came in a statement from the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, marking Nakba Day. The ministry emphasized the need to acknowledge the lasting impact of the event and urged global support for Palestinians’ legitimate and inalienable rights.

The statement reaffirmed Palestinians’ right to return to their homeland, establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital, and end the prolonged Israeli occupation. It accused Israeli forces of continuing the Nakba through ongoing aggression in Gaza and violence in the West Bank. The ministry urged the international community to move beyond verbal support and take effective measures to protect Palestinians from such crimes.

According to the Wafa news agency, Israeli attacks in Gaza and the West Bank have continued despite a formal ceasefire. Recent strikes killed several people, with thousands reported dead or injured since the escalation began in October 2023.