Citizen group holds gathering in Hiroshima: “Reflect on Gaza on Nakba Day”
May 26, 2025
by Kana Kobayashi, Staff Writer
On May 15, Nakba (Catastrophe) Day, which marks the expulsion of Palestinians from their hometowns during the establishment of Israel in 1948, a gathering was held in Naka Ward, Hiroshima, to show solidarity with people suffering in places such as the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip. The event, organized by the Hiroshima-Palestine Vigil Community, a citizen group, drew about 20 participants.
In front of the A-bomb Dome, the participants displayed objects featuring “key” motifs symbolizing the right of return for Palestinian refugees, along with posters reading, “Peace in Palestine.” They also appealed to passersby, chanting loudly, “Free Palestine,” and “Free Gaza.”
The Israeli military’s ongoing attacks on Gaza, which began after fighting with the Islamic organization Hamas in October 2023, have also been referred to as the second Nakba. So far, the number of fatalities in Gaza is believed to have exceeded 50,000. Aoe Tanami, an associate professor at Hiroshima City University, said, “In Gaza, people are struggling to survive in a situation beyond imagination.”
(Originally published on May 16, 2025)
On May 15, Nakba (Catastrophe) Day, which marks the expulsion of Palestinians from their hometowns during the establishment of Israel in 1948, a gathering was held in Naka Ward, Hiroshima, to show solidarity with people suffering in places such as the Palestinian-controlled Gaza Strip. The event, organized by the Hiroshima-Palestine Vigil Community, a citizen group, drew about 20 participants.
In front of the A-bomb Dome, the participants displayed objects featuring “key” motifs symbolizing the right of return for Palestinian refugees, along with posters reading, “Peace in Palestine.” They also appealed to passersby, chanting loudly, “Free Palestine,” and “Free Gaza.”
The Israeli military’s ongoing attacks on Gaza, which began after fighting with the Islamic organization Hamas in October 2023, have also been referred to as the second Nakba. So far, the number of fatalities in Gaza is believed to have exceeded 50,000. Aoe Tanami, an associate professor at Hiroshima City University, said, “In Gaza, people are struggling to survive in a situation beyond imagination.”
(Originally published on May 16, 2025)
