As the sun rose over the Gaza Strip on Sunday, Palestinians faced a somber start to Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday typically filled with joy and celebration, marking the end of Ramadan’s fasting month.
This year, however, the festive spirit was overshadowed by scarcity and despair, with food supplies rapidly dwindling and the Israel-Hamas war showing no signs of abating.
In place of gathering inside mosques, many resorted to offering their prayers amid the rubble of destroyed sanctuaries.
Eid al-Fitr is traditionally a time for families to come together, indulging in feasts and dressing children in new clothes, yet for most of Gaza’s 2 million residents, survival has become the sole focus.
Adel al-Shaer, standing in the central town of Deir al-Balah after an outdoor prayer, captured the prevailing mood: “This is the Eid of Sadness,” he lamented. “We’ve lost our loved ones, our children, our livelihoods, and our dreams. Our students, our schools, our institutions – everything is gone.”
His words highlighted the profound grief and loss felt across the region, painting a stark contrast to the holiday’s usual cheer.
Twenty members of his extended family have been killed in Israeli strikes, including four young nephews just a few days ago, he said as he broke into tears.
Israel ended the cease-fire with Hamas and resumed the war earlier this month when the group refused to accept changes to the agreement reached in January.
Israeli strikes have killed hundreds of Palestinians, and Israel has allowed no food, fuel, or humanitarian aid to enter for four weeks.
Arab mediators are trying to get the truce back on track, and Hamas said Saturday that it had accepted a new proposal from Egypt and Qatar, the exact details of which were not immediately known.
Israel said it had advanced its own proposal in coordination with the United States, which has also been mediating.
“There is killing, displacement, hunger, and a siege,” said Saed al-Kourd, another worshipper. “We go out to perform God’s rituals in order to make the children happy, but as for the joy of Eid? There is no Eid.”
The latest conflict began following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, incursion on southern Israe,l killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages.
Hamas is still holding 59 captives after most of the rest were released in cease-fires or other agreements.
Israel’s offensive has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Israel’s bombardment and ground operations have destroyed vast areas of Gaza and, at their height, displaced about 90% of the population.
