The Palestinian people trace their ancestry to the diverse civilizations that inhabited the land of Palestine for millennia—Canaanites, Philistines, Arabs, and others. By the Ottoman era (1516–1917), Palestine was a multicultural region with Arabic-speaking Muslims, Christians, and Jews living in cities like Jerusalem, Hebron, and Jaffa. Palestinians developed a distinct identity through language, agriculture, trade, and religious heritage.

In 1834, a major revolt against Egyptian rule marked one of the earliest expressions of Palestinian nationalism. During the late Ottoman period, Palestinians were part of a broader Arab awakening, demanding autonomy and resisting foreign control.

After World War I, Britain took control of Palestine under the League of Nations mandate. The 1917 Balfour Declaration promised a Jewish homeland in Palestine, igniting tension between Jewish immigrants and native Palestinians. Between 1920 and 1947, Palestinians resisted British rule and Zionist expansion through strikes, protests, and the Arab Revolt of 1936–1939. By 1947, Palestinians made up two-thirds of the population but were offered less than half of the land in the UN Partition Plan.

On May 14, 1948, Israel declared independence. The next day, neighbouring Arab states invaded. Over 700,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled their homes. More than 400 villages were destroyed. Palestinians became stateless refugees scattered across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Israel denied their right of return, and the refugee crisis became permanent.

In 1967, during the Six-Day War, Israel captured Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and other territories. Another 300,000 Palestinians were displaced. UN Resolution 242 called for Israeli withdrawal and a just solution for refugees, but it was never fully implemented. Israeli settlements expanded into the occupied territories, further fragmenting Palestinian land.

The 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon led to the Sabra and Shatila massacre, where Israeli-backed Christian militias killed up to 3,500 Palestinian refugees. The massacre shocked the world and intensified calls for accountability.

In 1987, Palestinians launched the First Intifada—a mass uprising against Israeli occupation. It lasted until 1993 and led to the Oslo Accords, which promised limited Palestinian self-rule. However, the accords failed to deliver full sovereignty, and Israeli settlement growth continued.

The Second Intifada erupted in 2000 after Ariel Sharon visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. The uprising lasted five years, resulting in over 3,000 Palestinian and 1,000 Israeli deaths. Israel responded by constructing a separation wall across the West Bank, annexing more land, and isolating Palestinian communities.

Between 2008 and 2021, Gaza endured repeated wars. In 2008–2009, Israel’s Operation Cast Lead killed around 1,400 Palestinians. In 2014, Operation Protective Edge killed over 2,250 Palestinians, including hundreds of children. In 2021, another escalation left 256 Palestinians dead. Human rights organizations accused Israel of disproportionate force and war crimes, citing attacks on homes, hospitals, and schools.

The deadliest phase began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing over 1,200 people and taking 250 hostages. Israel responded with a full-scale war in Gaza. Airstrikes, a ground invasion, and a siege followed. As of October 2025, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, including 18,500 children. The United Nations Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide, citing mass killings, forced displacement, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.

Despite decades of displacement and occupation, Palestinian identity remains strong. In refugee camps and diaspora communities, Palestinians preserve their culture through oral history, music, embroidery, and education. The concept of “sumud”—steadfastness—defines their resistance.

Palestinian intellectuals, artists, and activists continue to shape global discourse. Writers like Mahmoud Darwish and scholars like Edward Said have voiced the pain and hope of their people. Palestinian cuisine, dance, and storytelling thrive even under siege.

Today, Palestinians remain stateless and fragmented—living under occupation, in refugee camps, or in exile. Their struggle continues not only for land, but for recognition, dignity, and justice.

Following the Nakba in 1948, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians found themselves in refugee camps across the Middle East. These camps, originally meant to be temporary, became permanent homes for generations. In Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Gaza, Palestinians lived in overcrowded conditions with limited rights, often barred from citizenship, employment, and property ownership.

Despite these hardships, refugee communities became centres of cultural preservation. Families passed down stories of their villages, taught traditional embroidery, and maintained the Arabic language and customs. Education became a pillar of resilience, with many Palestinians excelling in universities and contributing to global scholarship.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was founded in 1964 to represent Palestinian interests. Initially focused on armed struggle, the PLO evolved into a diplomatic body seeking international recognition. Under Yasser Arafat’s leadership, the PLO gained observer status at the United Nations and signed the Oslo Accords in the 1990s.

In Gaza, Hamas emerged in the late 1980s as both a resistance movement and a provider of social services. After winning the 2006 elections, Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. Israel responded with a blockade, restricting the flow of goods, electricity, and medicine. The blockade, combined with repeated military assaults, turned Gaza into one of the most densely populated and impoverished regions in the world.

In the West Bank, Israeli settlements expanded rapidly after 1967. These settlements, often built on confiscated Palestinian land, are connected by roads that Palestinians cannot use. Military checkpoints, land seizures, and home demolitions have fragmented Palestinian communities. The separation wall, built in the early 2000s, cuts deep into the West Bank, isolating villages and restricting access to farmland, schools, and hospitals.

Human rights organizations have described the situation as apartheid, citing systematic discrimination and control over Palestinian life. Palestinians in the West Bank live under military law, while Israeli settlers are governed by civil law, despite living in the same territory.

The United Nations has passed dozens of resolutions affirming Palestinian rights, including the right of return, the illegality of settlements, and the need for a sovereign Palestinian state. However, enforcement has been minimal. The International Criminal Court has opened investigations into alleged war crimes, but political pressure has slowed progress.

In 2025, the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. The report cited mass killings, forced displacement, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. Statements by Israeli officials and military conduct were presented as evidence of genocidal intent.

Palestinian culture remains vibrant despite displacement. Writers like Mahmoud Darwish and Ghassan Kanafani captured the pain and hope of exile. Scholars like Edward Said reshaped global understanding of colonialism and identity. Palestinian cuisine, dance (dabke), and storytelling continue to thrive in refugee camps and diaspora communities.

The concept of “sumud”—steadfastness—defines Palestinian resistance. It is expressed not only through protest and politics but through survival, education, and art.

As of October 2025, the situation remains dire. In Gaza, over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began in 2023. Entire neighbourhoods have been erased. Hospitals, schools, and refugee camps have been bombed. The humanitarian crisis is unprecedented, with famine, disease, and displacement affecting millions.

Palestinians remain stateless and fragmented—living under occupation, in refugee camps, or in exile. Their struggle continues not only for land, but for recognition, dignity, and justice.

Palestine’s history stretches back to the Bronze Age, when Canaanite city-states flourished. Over time, the region came under the control of major empires:

• Egyptians ruled parts of Palestine during the New Kingdom period.
• Israelite kingdoms emerged around 1000 BCE, followed by Assyrian and Babylonian conquests.
• Persians, then Greeks under Alexander the Great, and later Romans dominated the region.
• Under Roman rule, Palestine became central to early Christianity. Jerusalem was a major religious and political center.

• In 638 CE, Muslim armies captured Jerusalem. Palestine became part of successive Islamic empires: Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, and later Ottoman.
• During this period, Arabic became the dominant language, and Islam and Christianity coexisted across cities and villages.
• Ottoman rule (1516–1917) brought administrative stability. Palestinians lived in towns like Nablus, Hebron, and Jaffa, engaging in farming, trade, and scholarship.

• By the 19th century, Palestine was a well-integrated part of Ottoman Syria.
• The population was overwhelmingly Arab Muslim, with Christian and Jewish minorities.
• In 1834, Palestinians revolted against Egyptian rule—seen by historians as an early nationalist uprising.
• The late 1800s saw growing interest in Arab identity and resistance to foreign influence.

• After World War I, Britain took control of Palestine under the League of Nations mandate.
• The 1917 Balfour Declaration promised a Jewish homeland in Palestine, sparking tension.
• Jewish immigration increased, supported by European Zionist movements.
• Palestinians resisted through protests and revolts, notably the 1936–1939 Arab Revolt, demanding independence and opposing land dispossession.

• Palestinians had a rich cultural life: poetry, music, embroidery, and cuisine flourished.
• Cities like Jerusalem and Jaffa were centres of intellectual and commercial activity.
• The population was mostly rural, with strong family and tribal networks.
• Education expanded, with Palestinian newspapers, schools, and civic organizations emerging.

By 1947, Palestinians made up two-thirds of the population of historic Palestine. Yet the UN Partition Plan offered them only 45% of the land. The rejection of this plan and the subsequent 1948 war led to the Nakba—the mass displacement and destruction of Palestinian society.

Detailed historical table of Palestinian history and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, starting from ancient times through 2025. It includes key events, their impact on Palestinians, and international responses.

This table offers a structured overview of the most significant events affecting Palestinians across centuries.

a comprehensive table of documented war crimes committed during the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, based on international law and reports from human rights organizations and the United Nations.

list now with direct links to each source:

Wikipedia – History of the Israeli–Palestinian Conflict

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian_conflict

Wikipedia – Israeli war crimes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_war_crimes

Britannica – Israel-Palestine Conflict Explained

https://www.britannica.com/explore/israeli-palestinian-conflicts

Council on Foreign Relations – Conflict Timeline

https://education.cfr.org/learn/timeline/israeli-palestinian-conflict-timeline

Palestine Studies – Historical and Cultural Archives

https://www.palestine-studies.org/

Al Jazeera – History of Gaza and Palestine

https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/palestine/

Middle East Eye – Palestinian Identity and Resistance

https://www.middleeasteye.net/topics/palestine

UN Human Rights – Commission of Inquiry on Occupied Palestinian Territory

https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/coi-opt/index

Amnesty International – Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories

https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territories/report-israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territories/

Human Rights Watch – Israel/Palestine

https://www.hrw.org/middle-east/n-africa/israel/palestine

Protect Palestine – War Crimes Overview

https://www.protectpalestine.org/war-crimes

International Criminal Court – Situation in Palestine

https://www.icc-cpi.int/palestine

UNICEF – Children in Armed Conflict Reports

https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/state-of-palestinian-children

UN OCHA – Gaza Humanitarian Updates

https://www.ochaopt.org/

B’Tselem – Israeli Human Rights Organization

https://www.btselem.org/