Middle East: Palestinians mark Nakba anniversary
What you need to know
- Palestinians have been marking the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, or "catastrophe"
- The term refers to the displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 war surrounding the creation of Israel
- Palestinian statistics say around 80% of Palestinians living in what became Israel were displaced
- Israel's military on Friday ordered residents of five villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate
- Israel warned residents to move at least 1,000 meters away from the targeted areas near the city of Tyre.
Here is our coverage of the situation in the Middle East, including the Iran war, on Friday, May 15.
Skip next section Iran welcomes China's role in easing tensions05/15/2026May 15, 2026Iran welcomes China's role in easing tensions
Iran has said it is open to support from China to help resolve the Middle East conflict.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would welcome any diplomatic assistance.
"We appreciate any country who has the ability to help, particularly China," he told reporters as he attended a meeting of the BRICS group of countries in India.
"We have very good relations with China, we are strategic partners to each other, and we know that [the] Chinese have a good intention, so anything that can be done by them to help diplomacy would be welcomed by the Islamic Republic," Araghchi added.
The comments came after talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DndCSkip next section Gaza group marks Nakba with children's run05/15/2026May 15, 2026Gaza group marks Nakba with children's run
Orphaned children in Gaza have taken part in a run held as part of Nakba commemorations.
Aid group The Zaynab Project said the run was intended to honor the memory of displacement while giving children a chance to run, laugh and experience a moment of normality.
"For one day, orphaned children in Gaza will have the chance to run, laugh, celebrate, and simply feel like children again," the group posted on Instagram ahead of the run.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DnXYSkip next section Israel strikes Hezbollah targets near Tyre05/15/2026May 15, 2026Israel strikes Hezbollah targets near Tyre
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has launched strikes on Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon as tensions escalate despite a ceasefire.
"The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure sites in the area of Tyre in southern Lebanon," the army said in a statement, hours after issuing evacuation warnings for five towns and villages.
The strikes came as Israel and Lebanon entered a second day of US-brokered talks in Washington aimed at easing hostilities.
In a separate statement, the military said several explosive drones had fallen in northern Israel, with no injuries reported.
The exchange of fire underscores the fragility of the truce, with violence continuing even as diplomatic efforts are underway.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DnPcSkip next section China renews Iran ceasefire call after Trump-Xi talks05/15/2026May 15, 2026China renews Iran ceasefire call after Trump-Xi talks
China has stressed the need to restore stability in the Gulf and has renewed calls for a lasting ceasefire in the Iran conflict, after talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said a comprehensive and permanent truce was essential and urged the reopening of key shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz.
"This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue. Finding a solution sooner is beneficial to both the US and Iran, as well as to countries in the region and the world as a whole," the ministry said.
Trump said Xi supported a negotiated settlement and had offered to help broker a deal.
He also said the Chinese leader agreed Iran must not acquire nuclear weapons and should reopen the waterway. However, Xi did not comment on his discussions with Trump about Iran, while China's Foreign Ministry issued a statement outlining Beijing's frustration with the Iran war.
Take a look at our blog on the aftermath of Trump's whirlwind China visit here.
War with Iran casts shadow over Trump's visit to China
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https://p.dw.com/p/5DnN0Skip next section Israel urges evacuations in south Lebanon05/15/2026May 15, 2026Israel urges evacuations in south Lebanon
Israel's military has ordered residents of five villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate ahead of expected strikes against Hezbollah.
The warning was issued Friday despite an existing ceasefire with Lebanon, with the army citing alleged violations by Iran-backed Hezbollah.
"In light of the terrorist Hezbollah's violation of the ceasefire agreement, the Defense Army is compelled to act against it forcefully," the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee posted on X.
He listed five villages near the city of Tyre, on the south Lebanon coast.
"For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and stay away from the villages and towns by a distance of no less than 1,000 metres [0.62 miles]," he added.
Balancing work and war in Beirut
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https://p.dw.com/p/5DmupSkip next section Palestinians mark Nakba anniversary amid Gaza ceasefire05/15/2026May 15, 2026Palestinians mark Nakba anniversary amid Gaza ceasefire
Millions of Palestinians have been marking the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, as a ceasefire in Gaza remains in place.
The term, meaning "catastrophe," refers to the mass displacement of around 750,000 Palestinians during the 1948 war surrounding the creation of Israel.
This is the third Nakba commemoration since the Gaza war began in October 2023. The current ceasefire is doing little to ease the humanitarian strain on the territory's more than 2 million people, with many still confined to a reduced coastal area.
Survivors of the 1948 events have drawn comparisons between past and present. One 78-year-old witness described the current conditions as "indescribable" and "unbearable," despite the pause in fighting.
Historically, about 80% of Palestinians living in what became Israel were displaced during the war, and around 530 villages were destroyed, according to Palestinian statistics. Many refugees and their descendants — now numbering around 6 million — remain across the region, including in the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Gaza.
Welcome to our coverage
Richard Connor | Dmytro Hubenko EditorHello and welcome to DW's coverage of developments across the wider Middle East, including the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran, on Friday, 15 May, 2026.
Millions of Palestinians are marking the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, with a fragile ceasefire in Gaza shaping this year's remembrance.
The Nakba refers to the displacement of around 750,000 Palestinians during the 1948 war surrounding the creation of Israel.
You can catch up on Middle East developments earlier this week here.
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