Roughly 700,000 Palestinians were expelled or fled during the Nakba in 1948, according to the sources I found.

What that means

That figure is the most commonly cited estimate for the mass displacement that took place during and after the war surrounding Israel’s creation. Different historians and institutions may phrase it as “fled,” “were expelled,” or both, because the causes of displacement varied by place and event.

Why the number varies

Some accounts emphasize forced expulsion, while others stress flight caused by war, fear, and the collapse of local conditions. So the exact total can differ slightly across sources, but “about 700,000” is the standard headline figure.

Context

The Nakba remains central to Palestinian historical memory, and commemorations still frame it as a catastrophe tied to the loss of homes, land, and the right of return.