Palestinian refugees see no end in sight to their suffering on World Refugee Day

They became refugees in 1948 upon the violent establishment of the Israeli regime. The Gaza Strip is home to the second largest Palestinian refugee population in the Middle East after Jordan.

According to the UN, over 1.3 million registered Palestinian refugees live in the blockaded coastal enclave. Most refugees in the Gaza Strip live in 8 refugee camps under miserable humanitarian conditions.

They accuse Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region of turning a blind eye to their suffering. Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip say they hold sacred the right of return to their original towns and villages.

Since March 2018 Israeli forces killed hundreds of protesters who were demanding the right of return for Palestinian refugees during the Great March of Return. Most of the Palestinian refugees especially in Gaza are impoverished and completely rely on handouts to survive.

According to international law, refugees have the right to return to their homes of origin, receive real property restitution, and compensation for losses and damages. Israel has denied Palestinian refugees their right to return to their ancestral towns and villages.

Palestinian refugees have been suffering for over seven decades. They blame the international community for failing to address their plight and prolonging their suffering.