Gaza Herald – As Eid al-Adha approaches, Gaza’s markets stand nearly deserted, stripped of the crowds and festive atmosphere that once filled the streets during holiday seasons.
Israel’s ongoing war and blockade have deepened the humanitarian and economic crisis across the besieged enclave, forcing thousands of Palestinian families to abandon the tradition of buying Eid clothes for their children.
Inside the markets, shop owners wait in silence beside unsold clothing, while many families say even the simplest holiday purchases have become impossible. After months of displacement, destruction, and financial collapse, most households are now spending what little money they have on food, water, and basic survival instead of Eid celebrations.
Displaced mother Um Mohammad Badr, who fled northern Gaza, said she no longer thinks about buying new clothes for her children, but instead worries about how to secure meals and clean water for her family. She explained that her children understand the severity of their situation and try to hide their wishes to avoid adding to their parents’ pain.
“Eid no longer feels like Eid,” she said, describing how war, displacement, and the loss of homes have erased the joy usually associated with the holiday.
Traders across Gaza say commercial activity has nearly collapsed despite attempts to offer discounts and affordable prices. Taysir Nasr, a clothing shop owner, said most people simply ask about prices and leave without buying due to the lack of income and cash flow. He added that previous Eid seasons partially relied on charity initiatives that distributed clothing to poor families, but many of those humanitarian programs have sharply declined this year.
The worsening crisis has also been fueled by severe restrictions on goods entering Gaza. Merchants say the high prices are linked not only to shortages but also to the rising costs of bringing clothing into the territory under Israeli restrictions and imposed fees on commercial shipments, costs that are ultimately passed on to struggling civilians.
For many Palestinians in Gaza, Eid this year arrives not with celebration, but with exhaustion, grief, and the daily fight to stay alive under siege and continuous war.
