How did news of the Deir Yassin attack affect Palestinians during the 1948 conflict?

The attack on the Palestinian village of Deir Yassin on April 9, 1948, by Jewish paramilitary forces was a pivotal event that profoundly impacted the Palestinian population during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The assault, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 100 people, served as a catalyst for widespread fear and panic throughout the region.1

News of the violence significantly influenced the behavior of Palestinian civilians. Many residents of other villages, terrified that they would suffer a similar fate, chose to flee their homes. This mass displacement was a central component of what Palestinians refer to as the Nakbah (or "Catastrophe"), during which at least 600,000 to 700,000 Palestinians were either expelled or fled.1

Furthermore, the events at Deir Yassin were used by the Arab League to justify the entry of Arab forces into Palestine following the withdrawal of British troops. In a statement to the UN Security Council, the league cited the atrocities committed at the village as evidence of Zionist aggression and a primary reason for their military intervention to protect the lives and properties of the inhabitants.1