DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (news agencies) — Palestinians in the Gaza Strip had little to celebrate Sunday as they marked the normally festive Eid al-Fitr with rapidly dwindling food supplies and renewed fighting in the Israel-Hamas war. Israeli strikes killed at least 19 people, mostly women and children, health officials said.
Many prayed outside demolished mosques on the holiday marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. It’s supposed to be a joyous occasion when families feast and purchase new clothes for children, but most of Gaza’s 2 million people are just trying to survive.
“It’s the Eid of sadness,” Adel al-Shaer said after attending prayers amid rubble in the central town of Deir al-Balah. “We lost our loved ones, our children, our lives and our futures.”
Twenty members of his extended family have been killed by Israeli strikes, including four young nephews a few days ago, he said and began to cry.
Israel ended the ceasefire with Hamas and resumed the 17-month war earlier this month with a surprise bombardment that killed hundreds, after the militant group refused to accept changes to the truce reached in January. Israel has not allowed food, fuel or humanitarian aid to enter Gaza for a month.
“There is killing, displacement, hunger and a siege,” said Saed al-Kourd, a worshipper. “We go out to perform God’s rituals in order to make the children happy, but as for the joy of Eid? There is no Eid.”
Arab mediators are trying to get the truce back on track. Hamas said Saturday it had accepted a new proposal from Egypt and Qatar. Israel said it made a counter-proposal in coordination with the United States, which has also been mediating. The details were not immediately known.
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