Palestinians in Gaza spent Eid al-Fitr in grief instead of celebration. Airstrikes, food shortages, and ongoing war turned the festival into a day of survival. In Rafah, the bodies of 14 emergency workers were pulled from the rubble a week after an Israeli attack, described as the deadliest strike on Red Cross and Red Crescent workers since 2017.
No festivities
Eid is usually a time for prayers, feasts, and new clothes for children. But this year, many in Gaza prayed outside destroyed mosques, struggling to find food.
“It’s the Eid of sadness,” said Adel al-Shaer, who lost 20 family members, including four young nephews. “We lost our loved ones, our children, our lives and our futures.”
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Israel resumed its military operation earlier this month, cutting off food and aid to Gaza. The renewed attacks followed Hamas’s rejection of changes to a ceasefire deal.
Will a ceasefire happen?
Arab mediators are trying to restart peace talks. Hamas accepted a new proposal from Egypt and Qatar, while Israel responded with a counter-offer backed by the US. Details of the negotiations remain unclear.
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Red Crescent attack sparks anger
The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that eight of its medics and five civil defence workers were killed in Rafah. Some bodies were reportedly found bound and shot. The attack has been called a “war crime,” with calls for an international investigation.
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Israel’s military claimed it fired on vehicles moving “suspiciously” without emergency signals, saying nine “terrorists” were killed.
(With inputs from agencies)