Journalist Belal Mortaja documents how, despite the devastation and ongoing danger, the people of north Gaza refuse to give up celebrating Eid al-Fitr under genocide.
A small marketplace has been erected among the rubble of destroyed shops and homes on Omar al-Mukhtar Street in Gaza City. Despite having so little food available, a small amount of festive sweets has been prepared. Premade candies and other snacks are available as well. Shops have gone through their decimated inventories to find clothing, toys, and goods that are still usable, and put them up for sale.
The size and spirit does not compare to a typical Eid market in Gaza, and money for purchases has mostly been depleted over the last six months. However, the social and emotional value of this gathering is incalculable. It is a testament to the determination, resilience, and community devotion of the people of north Gaza that the market has been constructed at all.
Journalist Fadi Al-Whidi documents how the people of Jabaliya perform their Eid-al-Fitr prayers in the cold, heavy rain. Nearly every mosque in north Gaza has been destroyed, especially in Jabaliya. Despite this, people continue to pray and worship as a community, standing in the open and exposed to the elements in order to worship and share in the sacred occasion as a group.