No feasts, no joy: Gazans mark a dark Eid

The Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, typically a time of joy and celebration, is being observed under a dark cloud in Gaza. The ongoing conflict has rendered traditional festivities nearly impossible, with soaring prices and widespread unavailability of goods like new clothes, sacrificial sheep, and festive biscuits.

“

I go to the market only to look around because I cannot afford to buy anything. Whenever I ask about prices, I return heartbroken.

Nadia Abu Shamala, a resident displaced from northern Gaza, expressed her heartbreak at the market. "I go to the market only to look around because I cannot afford to buy anything," she told AFP. "This year, Eid comes with none of the joy we once knew in Gaza because of the effects of the war, the soaring prices, and our inability to provide even the simplest needs for our children."

“

This year, Eid comes with none of the joy we once knew in Gaza because of the effects of the war, the soaring prices, and our inability to provide even the simplest needs for our children.

Despite a ceasefire brokered in October 2025, Israeli airstrikes persist in Gaza, where the United Nations reports that 80% of buildings have been damaged. The majority of the population relies on aid, but NGOs on the ground state that the limited number of aid trucks entering Gaza, controlled by Israel, is insufficient to lower prices or address shortages.

“

The truce is a big lie, but in any case, we are trying to create joy for the children.

Abu Abdullah al-Mosadar, 59, managed to pool money with his brother to buy a sheep for sacrifice, an act of tradition that is now prohibitively expensive for most. "I know it is very expensive, but I decided to perform the sacrifice this year," he said, hoping to eventually restart his construction business. However, the scarcity of sheep is acute; livestock cannot enter Gaza, and only a quarter of the pre-war population remains. Raafat Asaliya, spokesperson for Gaza's agriculture ministry, noted that prices have skyrocketed due to limited supply, increased breeding and feed costs, and farm closures. A sheep that cost around 1,000 shekels before the war now sells for 11,000 to 15,000 shekels.

“

Regarding prices this year, sacrificial animals are witnessing an unprecedented increase due to the limited supply and the rising costs of breeding, feed, and transportation, and the shutdown of many farms.