The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) solemnly observes the 76th anniversary of the Nakba, a tragic event in which 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes and lands in 1948. Today, some 6 million Palestinian refugees reside in camps across Palestine and neighbouring countries, carrying the burden of generational trauma and loss.
This anniversary coincides with another wave of displacement as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians flee daily bombardment in the Gaza Strip. With over 35,000 Palestinians killed with majority women and children and countless others displaced, urgent attention to this crisis is imperative.
According to reports, the electricity generators at the European Hospital near Rafah have ceased functioning due to fuel shortages, rendering the hospital “out of service.” Additionally, the United Nations (UN) has recently declared that northern Gaza is already experiencing a “full-blown famine.” With restrictions on aid entering Gaza, the dire situation is only worsening. These alarming developments underscore the urgent need for immediate action to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
MCB Secretary General, Zara Mohammed stated, “Today we mark the 76th Nakba, the day of catastrophe. It is deeply saddening we do so witnessing the wholesale devastation and destruction in Gaza and the surrounding territories, we see Palestinians continue to be made refugees in their own homeland.
As this tragedy continues to unfold, more than 7 months of relentless bombardment and killing we urge our government to be uphold our international and moral obligations to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and cease supplying weapons to Israel, which could be used to kill innocent civilians. Ending the occupation and secure a just and lasting peace in the region.”
The MCB calls on the international community to stop another Nakba, take concrete actions to hold Israel accountable for its human rights violations, including apartheid practices, and to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people in their pursuit of justice and self-determination.
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