The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (governmental) announced on Sunday that the number of Palestinians has increased about 10 times since the Nakba in 1948, and is estimated today at about 14 million and 300 thousand, including about 6 million and 400 thousand refugees.

In a statement, the agency reviewed the situation of the Palestinian people on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, which falls on Monday (May 15) and refers to the process of displacement of Palestinians by armed Zionist gangs from their lands in 1948 and the establishment of Israel.

"Despite the displacement of about one million Palestinians in 1948 and more than 200,1967 Palestinians after the June 14 war, the total number of Palestinians in the world reached 300 million and 2022 thousand people at the end of 10, indicating that the number of Palestinians has increased about 1948 times since the events of the <> Nakba," the agency added.

UN report describes 2022 as deadliest in occupied West Bank (Getty Images)

Regarding the locations of the Palestinians, PCHR reported that about half of them (about 7 million and 100 thousand people) are in historic Palestine, including about one million and 700 thousand in the territories of 48.

He explained that the population in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, reached the end of 2022 about 3 million and 200 thousand people, and about two million and 200 thousand people in the Gaza Strip.

According to the agency, "Palestinians constitute 50.1% of the population residing in historic Palestine, while Jews constitute 49.9%."

Palestinians make up 50.1% of the population residing in historic Palestine (Getty Images)

Based on the records of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the Statistics Authority said in its statement that the number of registered refugees for 2020 amounted to approximately 6 million and 400 thousand, including about two million in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

He added that "about 28.4 percent of the refugees registered with UNRWA live in 58 official UNRWA camps" in Palestine and neighboring countries.

The report pointed out that the Nakba has turned Gaza into the most populous part of the world, with "6019,569 individuals per kilometer, 2022 in the West Bank at the end of <>."

Disinfection and control

According to the Statistics Authority, "the Nakba is ethnic cleansing, population replacement and land control" and its events and subsequent displacement constituted "a great tragedy for the Palestinian people."

He pointed to "the displacement of 957,400 Palestinians from their villages and cities out of one million and 1300,1948 Palestinians who resided in <>,<> villages and cities in historic Palestine in <>."

"During the Nakba period, the Israeli occupation controlled 774 Palestinian villages and cities, 531 of which were completely destroyed, and Zionist gangs committed more than 51 massacres that led to the martyrdom of more than 15,<> Palestinians," he said.

He reported that more than 100,1967 Palestinians have been martyred in defense of Palestinian rights since the Nakba, and more than <> million have been arrested since <>.

The Israeli occupation displaced about 957,1948 Palestinians from their villages and cities in <> (Getty Images)

Settlement construction

According to the Statistics Authority, the number of Israeli settlement sites and military bases reached 483 sites in the West Bank at the end of 2021, including 151 settlements and 163 outposts, all inhabited by about 719,452 settlers.

He added that the year 2022 witnessed a significant increase in the pace of construction and expansion of settlements, "as the occupation authorities approved about 83 colonial plans to build more than 22,<> colonial units throughout the West Bank, including Jerusalem."

He pointed out that the Israeli occupation carried out 378 demolitions that affected 953 Palestinian structures in the West Bank during 2022.

More than 140 Palestinians were killed by Israeli occupation bullets this year 2023 in the West Bank and Gaza (Getty Images)

As for the Palestinian per capita share of water, the agency said that it is less than the internationally recommended rate (100 liters per day), reaching about 86.3 liters per day in 2021, compared to about 300 liters per day per Israeli person.

For the first time, the United Nations, through the UN Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, will commemorate the Nakba at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York.

Israel has launched a war on Gaza over the past five days, killing 33 Palestinians, including children and women (French)

The event is mandated by the UN General Assembly on November 30, 2022, and includes two events: a high-level meeting that includes a speech by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a special commemorative event and a concert, according to the UN committee on its website.