UN marks Nakba anniversary amid warnings over Gaza crisis

The UN commemorated the anniversary of the Nakba on Friday, with senior officials warning that the suffering and displacement experienced by Palestinians since 1948 continue amid the Gaza conflict.

The event, convened by the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, was held at UN headquarters to highlight the enduring impact of the Nakba — the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the creation of Israel in 1948.

Addressing the gathering, President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock described the Nakba as a lasting historical "pain" that continues across generations.

"They were removed from their homes, their houses destroyed, their lives and livelihoods upended. In a moment, entire people scattered," she said.

"It is a pain that endures across generations and thousands of kilometers. It is a pain for which only meaningful justice can provide relief."

Baerbock said the issue remains deeply relevant because the suffering of Palestinians has not ended.

She also stressed the continuing responsibility of the UN to pursue a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"One of the first tasks of the United Nations was to find a just solution to conflicts and crises across the world, including the question of Palestine," Baerbock said. "For 78 long years, this institution, alongside numerous other peace processes, has worked to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."

She urged member states not to lose focus on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which she described as "catastrophic" despite the announcement of a ceasefire last October.

"A ceasefire, which does not mean peace, but more killing, even of children, is not peace and is no ceasefire," she said. "It's a continuation of fire."

Khaled Khiari, the UN assistant secretary-general for the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, also warned that conditions in Gaza remain dire. "The situation in Gaza today is a catastrophe of grave proportions," Khiari told participants.

He added that the ceasefire remains fragile and civilians continue to suffer.