While millions around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha, this occasion presents a bitter reality for the people of the Gaza Strip, who express their sorrow with the saying, "Eid, in what state have you returned, Oh Eid?" After nine months of fierce Israeli war, the besieged Palestinian territory has been left with destruction and more than 37,000 dead, most of whom are women and children, along with the rising anger among some Palestinians.
In Gaza, there is no building left untouched by devastation, and no household has escaped the loss of a family member due to Israeli bombardment. This has led many residents to express their resentment and anger primarily toward Israel, but also against Hamas.
Some Palestinian voices have begun to hold Hamas leaders responsible for escalating the situation in Gaza due to the October 7 attack. Some civilians believe that this attack does not represent them or the movement. Additionally, videos circulated recently on social media questioned the whereabouts of Hamas leaders and their families, asking why they are hiding from airstrikes while thousands of Palestinian civilians are being killed by bombs.
On top of all these tragedies is the severe shortage of food and medical supplies.
**Bread Only**
In northern Gaza, where hunger is at its peak, many residents confirmed that the acute shortage of vegetables, fruits, and meat has led them to subsist on bread alone. They explained how available food items in the market are sold at exorbitant prices, with the price of a kilogram of green pepper, which was about a dollar before the war, now reaching 320 shekels, approximately 90 dollars, while onions have reached around 70 dollars.
Some social media posts have accused unscrupulous traders of exploiting the residents' needs by purchasing goods at regular prices in Israel and the West Bank and then selling them at significantly inflated prices, taking advantage of the security collapse in Gaza.
For his part, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that many residents in Gaza are facing a catastrophic level of hunger and conditions resembling famine. He stressed that over 8,000 children under five have been diagnosed and treated for acute malnutrition, including 1,600 children suffering from severe malnutrition.
It is noted that the flow of UN aid to the devastated area has been severely disrupted since the beginning of Israeli military operations in Rafah, the main crossing of the Gaza Strip from Egypt. Many Western countries have pressured Israel to ease the humanitarian crisis, while dozens of UN relief agencies have warned that famine is imminent. In response, Israel has blamed the UN for the slow delivery of aid, claiming that their operations are ineffective.
