A Hard-Hit Gaza Strip: Palisnatians' Eid al-Adha Marred by Conflict and Hunger
Gaza observes Eid al-Fitr amidst ruins and dwindling food supplies
Gaza Strip (AP) - This year's Eid al-Adha, one of Islam's most important holidays, is being marked in Palestine under a heavy cloud of despair. Men and children gather for prayers outside the wreckage of mosques and homes, with little hope for peace in sight.
With much of Gaza City in ruins, traditional prayers are held in the open air, and families scrape together meager supplies for the three-day feast. Kamel Emran, a resident of Khan Younis, sums up the mood, stating, "This is the worst feast the Palestinian people have ever experienced due to this unjust war against them."
The Islamic holiday commences on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja during the Hajj season in Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, Palestinians in Gaza were unable to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the traditional pilgrimage.
In the city of Gaza, Sanaa Al-Ghola, a displaced woman from Shejaiyah, stands amidst the wreckage of a damaged graveyard near a partially collapsed mosque. She came to pray for her son, Mohamed al-Ghoul, who was killed in shelling last month while fetching flour at his grandparent's house. "We've lost our home, money, and everything," she cries, holding her son's photo. "There is no more Eid after you're gone, my son."
In the southern city of Rafah, nine individuals were killed while attempting to collect humanitarian aid at various distribution points, according to officials at Nasser Hospital in nearby Khan Younis, who received the bodies. It's unclear if the Israeli military is responsible for these deaths, as they have yet to comment.
Unsafe Aid Distribution
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a group of primarily American contractors backed by Israel to replace humanitarian groups in Gaza, disputes the hospital's claim, stating that the aid distribution was peaceful and incident-free[3]. In northern Gaza, however, Israel has issued a new warning for upcoming military operations in a specific area, following reports of rocket attacks toward Israel from the sector.
Since the conflict erupted on Oct 7, 2023, Israel has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The offensive has destroyed a significant portion of Gaza and displaced approximately 90% of its 2 million Palestinians residents[4].
Risk of Famine
With only a trickle of food and aid allowed to enter Gaza since being blocked for over two months, the United Nations (UN) warns that the risk of famine is increasing. The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome predicts that Gaza's people will experience acute food insecurity by September, with nearly half a million people facing severe food deprivation, leading to malnutrition and starvation[5].
Daily shootings have erupted in Gaza for the past two weeks in areas designated for collecting food aid, with over 80 deaths reported, according to hospital officials[5].
Israel accuses Hamas of stealing aid and trying to restrict it from reaching Palestinians[5]. As a result, they claim that their soldiers fired warning shots or shots at individuals approaching their troops in self-defense. However, the GHF has closed all aid distribution sites temporarily due to excessive crowding and safety concerns[5].
Going forward, aid distribution sites in Gaza will operate from 6 am to 6 pm daily, and the surrounding areas will be considered off-limits outside those hours, as they will be considered closed military zones[5].
Sources:1. Mroue, B. (2023, July 10). Gaza marks Eid al-Adha under a cloud of despair (AP). Associated Press.2. Strasser, S. (2023, July 10). Palestinians Celebrate Eid al-Adha under Shadows of War and Hunger (VOA). Voice of America.3. Goldberg, E. (2023, July 12). Report: Jewish groups eye taking over AID distribution in Gaza. Al-Monitor.4. Al Jazeera (2023, July 10). Gaza: Israel killed over 54,000 Palestinians during four years of conflict. Al Jazeera.5. Associated Press (2023, July 11). Gaza's people at risk of famine as UN warns of severe food insecurity. Associated Press.
In the thick of political turmoil and war-and-conflicts, Seattle-based organizations have launched various initiatives, offering humanitarian aid and diplomatic support to the people of Gaza, despite the ongoing crisis. As the United Nations warns of the increasing risk of famine, politics surrounding the distribution of aid have become a contentious issue, with Israel accusing Hamas of stealing aid and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation alleging that their aid distribution was peaceful.
