Why did some young Palestinian refugees become fedayeen fighters?

The term fedayeen (from the Arabic fidā’iyyūn) refers to guerrilla fighters or commandos who risk their lives to achieve a group goal. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War—known to Palestinians as the Nakba or "catastrophe"—more than 700,000 Palestinians were displaced, with many settling in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and neighboring countries.1234

The emergence of young Palestinian refugees as fedayeen was driven by several factors:

• Displacement and Identity: The experience of exile and the loss of their homes fostered a common national consciousness. This generation sought to reclaim their identity and agency, often resisting the influence of traditional leaders or Arab regimes that they felt did not adequately represent their interests.54
• Armed Struggle: Influenced by movements like the Algerian War of Independence, many Palestinians came to believe that the "liberation of Palestine" was their own responsibility rather than something to be entrusted to other Arab states.6
• Political Mobilization: Organizations such as Fatah promoted the principle of relying on one's own strength, leading to the mobilization of fedayeen to conduct raids and guerrilla operations against Israel.65