Palestinians gather in Gaza City to mark the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, with Eid prayers. Israeli airstrikes prevented such gatherings last year and the year before during the war on Hamas.
Anas Baba
Many Muslims are celebrating the start of Eid al-Fitr on Friday to mark the end of Ramadan, a month of daylong fasts.
For two years of war, Gaza’s streets shook with the sound of deadly Israeli airstrikes. Eid was muted.
This year, a fragile ceasefire has allowed Palestinians there to once again gather for Eid prayers. They listened to sermons among the rubble of destroyed mosques and homes. Hamas police secured the streets and greeted children.
Despite continued hardship, glimpses of joy and little luxuries also appeared: kids were dressed in colorful new clothes, friends posed for selfies and Eid prayers rang through the streets.
The holiday comes as Israel further restricts the entry of aid through only one partially opened crossing. Approximately 200 trucks are entering Gaza daily since the start of the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran, according to Israel.
That’s a fraction of the 600 trucks U.N. aid agencies say are needed to reach all of Gaza’s 2 million people, most of whom live in makeshift tents and rely on aid for survival.
