The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics issued a comprehensive statement on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, confirming that the number of Palestinians worldwide has reached approximately 15.5 million. The report clarified that the demographic distribution shows that less than half of Palestinians live within the borders of historical Palestine, numbering 7.4 million, while 8.1 million others face a life of refuge and diaspora away from their homes.
The statement addressed the tragic reality in the Gaza Strip, noting that the ongoing Israeli war of extermination has led to the displacement of nearly two million Palestinians out of the 2.2 million who resided in the Strip before the outbreak of hostilities. These displaced individuals suffer from extremely harsh living conditions, with most concentrated in tents, shelters, and schools lacking the most basic necessities of life due to systematic destruction.
In the West Bank, the situation was no less severe, as statistics recorded the displacement of approximately 40,000 citizens from northern camps due to ongoing military operations. These forced movements coincide with an unprecedented escalation in settlement expansion, with the number of Israeli settlement sites and military bases reaching 645 by the end of 2025, distributed among settlements, outposts, and military sites.
Official data revealed that the number of settlers in the occupied West Bank jumped to approximately 778,567 by the end of 2024, with a high concentration in the Jerusalem Governorate exceeding 42%. This settler population expansion is accompanied by widespread land confiscation operations, with occupation authorities seizing over 5,571 dunams in 2025 alone under various pretexts such as 'state land' or seizure orders.
The report monitored a sharp escalation in attacks by settlers and occupation forces, with over 61,000 attacks documented in the West Bank between 2022 and 2025. These systematic attacks resulted in devastating environmental and economic losses, including the uprooting and bulldozing of over 81,000 trees, the vast majority of which were olive trees, a symbol of Palestinian steadfastness and a primary source of livelihood.
Regarding human casualties, the Bureau announced that the number of martyrs since October 7, 2023, until the end of April 2026, has exceeded 73,761 in a horrifying toll reflecting the scale of the aggression. The martyrs were distributed between 72,601 in the Gaza Strip and 1,160 in the West Bank, figures that place the international community before its responsibilities regarding the continuous existential targeting of the Palestinian people.
The media sector has not been spared from this targeting, with reports indicating the martyrdom of 310 journalists since 2000, including journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was assassinated in Jenin refugee camp in 2022. During the recent aggression on Gaza, occupation forces killed more than 260 journalists and destroyed the headquarters of hundreds of media institutions in a clear attempt to obscure the truth and prevent the world from seeing the crimes committed.
In terms of construction, the violent Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip caused the complete destruction of over 102,000 buildings, in addition to damage to approximately 330,000 housing units, either partially or completely. This widespread destruction was not limited to homes but also affected vital infrastructure, health, and educational facilities, rendering vast areas of the Strip uninhabitable at present.
Occupation authorities continue to impose strict restrictions on the movement of Palestinians in the West Bank through a complex network of approximately 900 military checkpoints and electronic gates. These repressive measures not only restrict freedom of movement but also prevent farmers from accessing their agricultural and pastoral lands, deepening the economic crisis and increasing the isolation of Palestinian communities from each other on the painful anniversary of the Nakba.
The number of Palestinians in the world reached approximately 15.5 million, including 7.4 million living in historical Palestine, while 8.1 million live in the diaspora.
שתף את דעתך
On the 78th Anniversary of the Nakba: 15.5 Million Palestinians Worldwide, More Than Half in the Diaspora