Eid al-Fitr, which marks the tip of Ramadan, was as soon as eagerly awaited in Gaza, a uncommon event that introduced a way of pleasure and normalcy. Its preparations started days prematurely — houses have been cleaned, a recent contact of ornament was added and households made certain every little thing was in place for the celebration. Dad and mom saved as much as purchase new garments for his or her kids, understanding how a lot it meant to them to decorate effectively on Eid.
The streets stayed energetic late into the night time, crammed with folks searching for last-minute necessities. Bakeries labored tirelessly, filling the air with the scent of ka’ak, the standard date-stuffed cookies, alongside trays of chocolate and vanilla biscuits — easy treats that might quickly be shared over espresso with company. Outlets displayed an array of high-quality sweets, candies, halkom (Turkish delight) and roasted nuts, small luxuries that made Eid really feel full.
On the primary morning of Eid, we’d get up early, gown in our greatest garments and make our approach to the mosque for the Eid prayer. There, we exchanged greetings, smiles and handshakes, a heartfelt custom that carried deep which means, reminding us that Eid is about togetherness. The takbirat, the chants of “Allahu Akbar” recited on Eid, stuffed the air, creating a well-known rhythm that made the day really feel completely different, wrapped in a quiet sense of non secular peace.
After the Eid prayer, we’d head residence to arrange breakfast. Breakfast was at all times particular, made completely for Eid al-Fitr. It included fesikh — a fermented, salted and dried fish with a daring, briny taste — together with salad wearing tahini sauce and tomatoes fried in olive oil.
Individuals in Gaza eagerly awaited Eid al-Fitr, particularly for this breakfast, wealthy with numerous flavors. What made this breakfast much more particular was the gathering of households across the desk, the place we’d snort, share tales and savor each chunk collectively.
Then got here the time to pick and gown in particular garments for Eid, making ready to welcome arriving company, together with relations and associates who got here to share on this joyful event. Youngsters beloved this half probably the most — you would see little women in colourful attire, their hair adorned with vivid equipment, and boys in fits and ties, making use of fragrance. Their new outfits introduced an additional spark of happiness to their faces as they eagerly headed out with their Eidiyah (present cash) to purchase scrumptious snacks and toys from the market.
Regardless of the strict siege imposed on Gaza for over 15 years, we continued to search out easy methods to get pleasure from such an important day. Nonetheless, the Israeli occupation had made even the slightest try and create a fleeting sense of happiness in Gaza a luxurious we are able to not afford. Final Eid got here amid battle and hunger, stripping us of our cherished Eid traditions. We had no likelihood to bake ka’ak, savor the style of chocolate, or put together the beloved Eid breakfast we as soon as loved together with our family members.
Final Eid felt empty, as many had misplaced their houses and their family members — the very ones who made Eid significant. Personally, I misplaced my mom as a result of Israeli army invasion of Al-Zaitoun neighborhood, and my grandmother to hunger and the shortage of medical care.
I nonetheless keep in mind how my household and I have been pressured to evacuate underneath heavy bombardment just some days earlier than Eid al-Fitr, ending up in a UN school-turned-shelter for displaced households. We carried deep unhappiness and despair in our hearts, reminiscing about the fantastic thing about Eid in occasions of peace, after we have been surrounded by our family members.
Youngsters didn’t put on new, elegant garments for Eid, nor did they get pleasure from shopping for toys and sweets. In truth, some have been afraid of going out due to the Israeli bombardment, whereas others have been busy filling their water gallons, or getting meals from charity kitchens.
My 7-year-old cousin, Haneen, cried quite a bit because the Israeli forces burned all her colourful, puffy attire — those she beloved to put on on Eid — throughout a army operation in Al-Zaitoun neighborhood.
“I don’t have any stunning garments for Eid. I don’t love Eid anymore,” she stated.
Final Eid misplaced its pleasure — overshadowed by destruction, heavy bombardment and bloodshed. Nonetheless, with the ceasefire taking impact in January 2025, folks in Gaza clung to the hope that the battle wouldn’t return. They held onto the idea that the ceasefire would final, providing them an opportunity to revive a few of the Eid pleasures they’d been disadvantaged of for therefore lengthy. Some even started planning for issues they hoped to do that Eid.
Personally, I purchased a brand new set of colourful dishes, planning to serve ka’ak and chocolate for company. I even dared to purchase a brand new carpet and vivid ornaments and vases to embellish our small condo for Eid. My 13-year-old brother Osama was so excited for this Eid, and he made so many plans, together with shopping for new garments and fragrance, and going out to see his associates, whom he missed quite a bit. My father even deliberate to ask my uncles and aunt to eat fesikh collectively on the primary day of Eid.
Nonetheless, our easy plans to reside in peace and revive a few of the Eid traditions we love have been shattered by unannounced heavy bombardment on March 18. The ceasefire, which had given us a fleeting likelihood to dream and plan amid the ache and struggling, has ended, and the battle has returned. The folks in Gaza are actually residing in a state of shock and worry.
We’ve had sufficient of wars. Even now, it’s exhausting to imagine that this Eid — the one we clung to, eagerly awaited and deliberate for — shall be identical to the earlier one. Most individuals have forgotten their Eid plans, consumed by fear about what they may do if they’re pressured to evacuate to the south once more, how they may survive if their saved meals runs out, and what’s going to occur if the blockade that stops humanitarian help from coming into the Strip continues. The considered reliving the horrors of the previous 15 months erases their pleasure for this Eid.
This Eid was alleged to be a second of respite, an opportunity to reclaim even the smallest fragments of happiness. As a substitute, it has turn out to be one other day of mourning, one other reminder that in Gaza, not even our desires are secure.
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