Eid al-Adha in Gaza Isn't Like It Was Before the Genocide. We Celebrate Anyway.

Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, is the most important Islamic holiday and begins during the Hajj on the 10th day of Dhul-Hijjah. In Gaza, it has been known as the “Big Eid” because celebrations were traditionally more extensive than those of Eid al-Fitr. Families previously visited farms with children to choose calves or sheep, and streets filled with trucks carrying animals. Even under siege conditions, with severe economic strain and soaring animal prices caused by restrictions affecting feed supplies and import costs, Gazans continued the ritual. Many families tried to sacrifice whenever possible, sometimes paying in installments. Sacrifice numbers in 2021 included 13,000 to 15,000 calves and about 20,000 to 25,000 sheep.

"Eid al-Adha in Gaza had always been known as the “Big Eid,” given that its celebrations were more extensive than those of Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Adha, or the “Feast of Sacrifice,” which commemorates Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son as an act of submission to God, is the most important Islamic holiday and begins during the Hajj on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijjah."

"One of the most significant rituals that made it so eagerly anticipated was the act of sacrifice. In the days leading up to Eid, families would visit farms with their children to choose their sacrificial animals - calves or sheep. The streets would fill with trucks carrying these animals, while children ran alongside them, laughing with excitement."

"Despite the suffocating siege, the harsh economic conditions, and the soaring prices of sacrificial animals - driven by the scarcity of animal feed in Gaza due to Israeli restrictions on the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing, along with rising import costs - Gazans continued to hold tightly to this ritual. The sacrifice commemorates the story of the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God before God replaced his son with a ram."

"For this reason, families strive to offer a sacrifice whenever possible. Even those facing severe financial hardship often resorted to paying for sacrificial animals in installments. In 2021 alone, the number of sacrificed calves ranged between 13,000 and 15,000, while the number of sheep reached approximately 20,000 to 25,000."

Read at Truthout