In the shadow of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, Muslims worldwide celebrated Eid al-Adha, a significant religious festival commemorating the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. Traditionally marked by the slaughter of sheep and the distribution of meat to the needy, this year’s festivities in Gaza were notably somber and subdued.
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip faced severe limitations on their celebrations due to the ongoing conflict. In Khan Younis, dozens of worshippers gathered near a destroyed mosque to perform Eid prayers amidst debris and rubble. In Deir el-Balah, central Gaza, prayers were held in a school-turned-shelter. Many, including women and children, visited cemeteries to honor the graves of loved ones.
“Today, after nine months, more than 37,000 martyrs, over 87,000 wounded, and hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed,” stated Abdulhalim Abu Samra, a displaced Palestinian, speaking to The Associated Press after prayers in Khan Younis. “Our people live in difficult circumstances.”
Tareq Abu Azzoum of Al Jazeera reported from Deir el-Balah, noting that Palestinians were striving to maintain a sense of hope. “Despite Israel’s ongoing aggression, Palestinians are trying to bring happiness to young children, many of whom will celebrate Eid without their parents,” he said.
The Gaza Government Media Office announced on Saturday that Israel had barred the entry of sacrificial animals into the enclave, preventing Palestinians from performing the traditional sacrificial rituals associated with Eid al-Adha.
In occupied Jerusalem, approximately 40,000 Muslims performed Eid prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, significantly fewer than the estimated 100,000 attendees in 2023. On Sunday, Israeli forces reportedly assaulted worshippers entering the mosque and blocked others from reaching the holy site, as reported by the Wafa news agency.
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinians also convened for Eid prayers. Mahmoud Mohana, a mosque imam, expressed solidarity with those in Gaza. “We suffer greatly and live through difficult moments with [what’s happening to] our brothers in Gaza,” he said.
In Lebanon, amid frequent clashes between Hezbollah and Israel, visitors to the Martyrs Cemetery near the Shatila camp for Palestinian refugees in Beirut observed their annual tradition of bringing flowers and water to the graves of their loved ones on the first day of Eid.
Global leaders extended their Eid greetings with messages of peace. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed solidarity with Muslims unable to celebrate due to conflict and violence. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hoped the holiday would bring “peace to our spiritual geography, especially Palestine and Sudan.”
The Chenab Times News Desk