Gaza on Eid al-Adha: The sound of hunger deepens the silence of the takbirs

On a holiday that reminds the world of faith, sacrifice, and joy, Gaza enters the holiday as if it were straight out of a book about forgotten famines and long wars. No meat is bought, no animals are slaughtered, and no children are dressed in new clothes. In Gaza, there is no sound of takbir, because the only sound is the groaning of empty stomachs, the silence of abandoned homes, and the crying of mothers in displacement tents. Talk of the decline of Eid rituals in Gaza is no longer a matter of poverty or temporary economic decline, but rather an accurate description of the total collapse of life under siege, bombardment, and organised famine.

Here, rituals are not performed because human beings themselves are no longer able to survive, and all that concerns the people of Gaza today is physical survival… even if only for another day.

In a sector that has been besieged for years, starved for months and targeted for decades, Eid is no longer a time for joy, but rather a time for disappointment and a stark reminder that Gaza is not only a besieged city, but also a people deprived of the bare minimum of existence.

Eid without sacrifices – just relentless hunger

In other parts of the world, Eid al-Adha is an occasion for loved ones to gather, to draw closer to God by slaughtering sacrifices, for markets to bustle with the smell of fresh meat, and for children to rejoice in the joy of the holiday. But in Gaza, no sacrifices will be slaughtered this year. There will be no markets teeming with livestock, no meat to cook, and no joy to speak of.

The Israeli blockade and the ongoing war since October 2023 have destroyed all components of economic life. Livestock farms have been burned or rendered unusable, and commercial and community infrastructure has been completely destroyed. Purchasing power no longer exists, and prices have risen dramatically, exceeding 50 times their previous levels, making meat and basic goods affordable to only a very small percentage of the population.

Total economic collapse

During last year’s Eid al-Adha (2024), less than 1% of Gaza’s population was able to secure a sacrifice through hard-to-reach external donations. This year, the situation is even more dire. Thousands of families are searching for their daily bread amid severe food shortages and an almost complete loss of electricity and clean water.

The talk is no longer about religious rituals, but about physical survival in the face of the worst conditions in the history of the Strip. With no effective humanitarian aid coming in since March 2025, hunger is spreading to infants and children, and Gaza is turning into an open prison where there is no difference between the cruelty of occupation and the cruelty of slow death.

Children without joy and mothers without hope this Eid

In displacement camps and mud huts, stories abound of mothers forced to tell their children that Eid has been postponed. No games, no laughter, just pale faces and lost eyes searching for a moment of safety in the darkness.

A mother from Rafah said in a broken voice to me:

How can I explain to them that this year’s Eid is waiting for bread that will never come? And that the lamb has become a dream we cannot afford?

These words represent the real tragedy that cannot be conveyed through pictures or reports, but is engraved in the hearts of those who have nothing but memories that fade with each difficult day.

International silence… and the ongoing Israeli siege

Despite appeals from international organisations and statements of condemnation, Israel has continued to refuse to open the crossings to allow food and medical aid to enter since March 2025. Even frozen meat, which used to arrive through the limited efforts of international organisations, no longer arrives.

The international community is moving very slowly, and aid is beset by complex political conditions, while the people of Gaza are being slaughtered by hunger and disease, and their holidays are buried under the rubble.

Gaza without a holiday, and a world without conscience

In a city where sacrifice was an act of devotion to God and a source of joy for its people, the people themselves have become the real sacrifices. The siege, the bombing, the hunger, and all forms of systematic violence have killed joy and turned the holiday into another day of pain and fear.

Gaza is not only a besieged city, but also a people deprived of their right to life, whose holidays have been stolen from them long ago. And the global conscience, despite all the cries, remains silent.

Featured image via the Canary