From the Nakba to Gaza’s ruins: One man’s lifetime of displacement
Abdel Mahdi al-Wuheidi, an 85-year-old survivor of the 1948 Nakba, recounts his lifelong displacement from Beersheba to Gaza and the destruction of his life once again in Israel's 2023 war on Gaza. He describes the trauma of forced exile, decades of struggle to rebuild, and the loss of everything in old age. Despite enduring generations of displacement, he holds on to the Palestinian right of return.
- ▪Abdel Mahdi al-Wuheidi was born in 1940 in Bir al-Saba (Beersheba) and was displaced during the 1948 Nakba when Israeli forces captured the city.
- ▪He and his family initially lived in tents in Gaza and later settled in the Jabalia refugee camp, enduring decades of hardship and instability.
- ▪Al-Wuheidi worked in Israel during a period when Palestinians had work permits and built homes and bought land, only to lose everything in the 2023 war.
- ▪He states that the current war on Gaza has been more catastrophic than the original Nakba he experienced as a child.
- ▪Al-Wuheidi and his wife Aziza, who have no children, now live with the sons of his late brother, who he raised after their father died.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Features|Israel-Palestine conflictFrom the Nakba to Gaza’s ruins: One man’s lifetime of displacementNakba survivor in Gaza recounts displacement after 1948 and 2023 and his unwavering attachment to his homeland.ListenListen (9 mins)SaveClick here to share on social mediashare-nodesSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoAbdel Mahdi al-Wuheidi, a survivor of the 1948 Nakba and Israel's genocidal war on Gaza [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]By Maram HumaidPublished On 16 May 202616 May 2026Jabalia, Gaza – Inside his partially destroyed home in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, 85-year-old Abdel Mahdi al-Wuheidi sits beside a small fire brewing coffee, staring at what remains of a life, now surrounded by rubble.Next to him sits his wife, Aziza, also in…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Al Jazeera English.
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