Events in the year 1948 in the British Mandate of Palestine. Incumbents High Commissioner – Sir Alan Cunningham Events 1947–1948 Civil War in Mandatory Palestine 5 January – The Haganah bombs the Semiramis Hotel in the Katamon neighborhood of Jerusalem, killing 24 or 26 people. 2 February – Three people are killed in a bombing in the Palestine Post (now the Jerusalem Post) building. 2 February – 1948 Ben Yehuda Street Bombing: Three British Army trucks, led by an armoured car driven by Arab irregulars and British deserters, explode on Ben Yehuda Street, Jerusalem, killing 58 Jewish civilians and injuring 140. 15 February – The first issue of the Hebrew language daily tabloid Maariv is published. 28 February – The Carmeli Brigade and Golani Brigade are formed. 2 March – Haganah forces carry out bombing raids on Jezreel Valley railway, which significantly damaged it. 6 March – Fawzi al-Qawuqji, the field commander of the Arab Liberation Army, crosses the Allenby Bridge with his troops, which includes approximately 500 soldiers. 11 March – The Jerusalem headquarters of the Jewish Agency is bombed by agents of the Grand Mufti Haj Mohammed Amin al-Husseini; twelve people are killed. 17 March 1947 – The Jewish Agency Press Office at 5 Ben Yehuda Street is bombed by John Hanson (Jack) May, a Palestine Police officer, in retribution for the deaths of colleagues and in response to a Palestine Post article by American commentator Ben Hecht, who wrote that he had "a little holiday in (his) heart when he heard of each British death". The bomb caused significant property damage, but as it was planted in the evening, when the offices were empty, there were no deaths or injuries. 30 March – Operation Hashmed: Haganah clearance of the Isdud–Yibna road. 4–5 April – Haganah clearance of villages around Haifa–Jenin road. 5–20 April – Operation Nahshon: Haganah clearance of Arab forces blocking the road to Jerusalem. 9 April – The Deir Yassin massacre takes place, in which approximately 120 fighters from the Irgun and Lehi Zionist paramilitary groups attacked Deir Yassin near Jerusalem, an Arab village of roughly 600 people. The attack occurs as Jewish militia seek to relieve the blockade of Jerusalem. 10 April – The founding of the moshav Bror Hayil. 12–16 April – Battle in Ramat Yohanan between Druze and Haganah forces, leading to a Druze–Haganah alliance. 13 April – The Hadassah medical convoy