AS A Palestinian, my family life turned upside down in the 1948 war, which was the worst thing that ever happened in history of Palestine. 

May 15 1948 was the unforgettable date which all Palestinians remember mixed with a spectacular will and a strong faith of returning. 

As known, we always label this day as “al-Nakba,” which was the result of a human-made military plan with the consent of other states, leading to a significant tragedy for us. 

This is why we call it “the catastrophe.” It was the end of a peaceful life, and we were rendered vulnerable and homeless. 

Just imagine that one has the “right” to kick you out of your home or demolish it in front of your eyes, and you have neither the right to refuse nor to defend it. And if you defend it, your life is going to be the cost.

Unsurprisingly, the 1948 war, where these brutal acts by what is called Israel miserably occurred, was not the first of its kind. 

Israel has been dehumanising us for ages. However, we are still resisting, and year after year, we are becoming such an impregnable power that all the world recognises us. 

Hence we are still firmly clinging to our rights to return to our homes. Hardly ever can hope die from our hearts, and my grandmother still has our house key till this moment, having an indispensable belief that the day on which we will return has always been inevitable.

Asmaa Rafiq Kuheil is an English language teacher who lives in Gaza. She is part of a collective of young Palestinian writers called We are Not Numbers (wearenotnumbers.org), a collective of young writers from Gaza who put the human stories behind the numbers.