A normally joyous Muslim vacation reminds households in Gaza of battle’s punishing toll

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Final summer time, Palestinians within the Gaza Strip celebrated the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha the way in which it is imagined to be: with giant household feasts, meat shared with these much less lucky, and new garments and items for youngsters.

However this 12 months, after eight months of devastating war between Israel and Hamas, many households will eat canned meals in stifling tents. There’s hardly any meat or livestock at native markets, and no cash for vacation treats or presents — solely battle, starvation and distress, with no end in sight.

“There isn’t any Eid this 12 months,” mentioned Nadia Hamouda, whose daughter was killed within the battle and who fled from her house in northern Gaza months in the past and is staying in a tent within the central city of Deir al-Balah. “After we hear the decision to prayer, we cry over these we misplaced and the issues we misplaced, and what has occurred to us, and the way we used to dwell earlier than.”

Muslims around the globe will have a good time the four-day Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, early within the week. It commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as recounted within the Quran. Within the Jewish and Christian traditions, Abraham is named to sacrifice his different son, Isaac.

Gaza was impoverished and isolated even before the war, however folks nonetheless managed to have a good time by hanging up colourful decorations, shocking youngsters with treats and items, and buying meat or slaughtering livestock to share with these much less lucky.

“It was an actual Eid,” Hamouda mentioned. “Everybody was blissful, together with the kids.”

Now much of Gaza is in ruins and many of the inhabitants of two.3 million Palestinians have fled their houses. After Hamas’ surprise attack into Israel on Oct. 7, wherein Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 folks and took one other 250 hostage, Israel launched an enormous air and floor assault.

The battle has killed over 37,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. It has destroyed most of Gaza’s agriculture and meals manufacturing, leaving folks reliant on humanitarian help that has been held up by Israeli restrictions and the continuing combating.

United Nations companies have warned that over 1,000,000 folks — almost half the inhabitants — might expertise the highest level of starvation within the coming weeks.

In early Could, Egypt shut down its crossing into the southern Gazan metropolis of Rafah after Israel captured the Palestinian facet of it, sealing the one route for folks to enter or depart the territory. Meaning nearly no Palestinians from Gaza will be capable to make the annual Hajj pilgrimage that precedes the Eid.

Ashraf Sahwiel, who was amongst a whole bunch of 1000’s of Palestinians who fled from Gaza Metropolis earlier within the battle and can be dwelling in a tent, has no thought when or if he’ll be capable to return.

“We don’t even know what occurred to our homes or whether or not we’ll be capable to dwell in them once more, or if it’s even doable to rebuild,” he mentioned.

Abdelsattar al-Batsh mentioned he and his household of seven haven’t eaten meat because the battle started. A kilogram (2 kilos) of meat prices 200 shekels (round $50). A dwell sheep, which could possibly be purchased for as little as $200 earlier than the battle, now prices $1,300 — if it is even obtainable.

“Right now, there’s solely battle. No cash. No work. Our homes have been destroyed. I’ve nothing,” al-Batsh mentioned.

Iyad al-Bayouk, who owns a now-shuttered cattle farm in southern Gaza, mentioned extreme shortages of each livestock and feed as a result of Israel’s blockade have pushed up costs. Some native farms have been became shelters.

Mohammed Abdel Rahim, who has been sheltering in a constructing in an empty cattle farm in central Gaza for months, mentioned the farm-turned-shelter was significantly unhealthy within the winter, when it smelled like animals and was infested with bugs. As the warmth set in, the bottom dried out, making it extra bearable, he mentioned.

Abdelkarim Motawq, one other displaced Palestinian from northern Gaza, used to work within the native meat trade, which did brisk enterprise forward of the vacation. This 12 months, his household can solely afford rice and beans.

“I want I might work once more,” he mentioned. “It was a busy season for me, throughout which I might deliver cash house and purchase meals, clothes, nuts, and meat for my youngsters. However at the moment there’s nothing left.”

___

Khaled reported from Cairo.

___

Observe AP’s protection of the battle in Gaza at