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Photos: Palestinians in Gaza celebrate Eid al-Fitr in comfort

Tensions and the exchange of rocket fire between Gaza and Israel during Ramadan raised fears of a new attack on Gaza.

A woman and her husband take photos
Al-Khalout and her husband take pictures after performing Eid prayers at a mosque near the Gaza seaport [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
By Maram Humaid
Published On 2 May 20222 May 2022
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Gaza City – Muslims around the world celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday by performing Eid prayers in outdoor places, gathering as families around festive traditional meals, and wearing bright new clothes.

This year, in the besieged Gaza Strip, people celebrated Eid al-Fitr in an atmosphere of calm and comfort after breathing a sigh of relief that a new Israeli offensive did not break out after repeated incursions by Israeli forces into Al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan.

Weeks of rising tensions and sporadic exchange of rocket fire between Gaza and Israel had raised fears over a new Israeli offensive similar to the one last May, when after weeks of protests and raids on Al-Aqsa during Ramadan the violence escalated into an 11-day assault on the besieged Strip.

That war during the Eid holiday led to the deaths of at least 260 Palestinians, as well as 13 Israelis, and led to significant destruction in an already impoverished territory.

Amani al-Kahlout, 29, a young woman who is passionate about cooking and home decorations, told Al Jazeera how she carefully prepares at home each year for all the details of Eid al-Fitr, and the rest of the holidays.

“I love the atmosphere of Eid in Gaza a lot. I like preparing meals and special hospitality for the Eid visitors,” al-Kahlout said.

“Eid is an opportunity to cheer up and create joy and happiness away from the pressures surrounding us in Gaza,” she said.

An Instagram celebrity with more than 200,000 followers, she told Al Jazeera how she likes to show that the Gaza Strip is not all about bombs, destruction and blood.

“In Gaza, there are people who have ambitions, dreams and love to enjoy their life to the fullest, just like any other people in the neighbouring countries,” she said.

“I often receive messages on my account from followers outside Gaza asking me: Is it really [what I publish] in the Gaza Strip? As if the only image of Gaza is the image of destruction and bombing.”

Al-Kahlout admitted that the economic and political conditions in Gaza have a suffocating effect on all aspects of life: People losing their ability to make a daily living, and the psychological pressure of living in situations that may escalate at any moment.

“Despite the ongoing siege imposed on us … and the endless crisis we suffer, people are still creating happiness for themselves,” she said.

“The joy of Eid is obligatory and I’m keen to create a joyful atmosphere for my family.”

Al Jazeera accompanied al-Kahlout as she spent the Eid al-Fitr holiday with her husband and two daughters in their home in the northern Gaza Strip.

A woman and her husband walk into a mosque
Amani al-Kahlout and her husband go to perform Eid prayers at an outdoor space in a mosque near the Gaza seaport. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
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Dozens of Gazans attend Al-Eid prayer
Scores of Gazans attend Eid prayers at al-Hasaineh mosque west of Gaza city. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
Amani prepares the traditional breakfast for Eid morning in Gaza
Amani prepares a traditional Eid breakfast in Gaza, which consists of ‘fesikh’ (salted fish), fried tomatoes, and a Gazan dish called ‘sumaqqi’a’. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
"Fesikh” is salted fermented and dried fish.
'Fesikh', a salted, fermented and dried fish, is a tradition for the people of Gaza to prepare on the first day of Eid after Eid prayers. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
Sumaghiyyeh dish in Gaza
Sumaghiyyeh is a traditional Palestinian dish originating from Gaza city, which is a tradition on holidays and receives its name from the spice sumac. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
The couple have their breakfast
Amani and her husband have breakfast on the first Eid day. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
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A mother dresses her daughter up.
Amani dresses her four-year-old daughter to celebrate Eid with other children and relatives. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
Al-Kahlout wears her embroidered Palestinian dress for Eid
Amani wears an embroidered Palestinian dress for Eid as she prepares traditional Palestinian Eid cookies and Arabic coffee. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
Ka’ak and Ma’mol- Palestinian cookies stuffed with date paste or nuts
Ka’ak and Ma’mol are Palestinian cookies stuffed with date paste or nuts, and are served with tea or coffee. The cookies are popular at Eid, Christmas and other holidays. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
Parents, brothers, uncles and cousins make a visit tour to all the married daughters of the family on the first day of Eid
It is a custom in Gaza that parents, brothers, uncles and cousins make a visit to the families of all married daughters on the first day of Eid. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
Eid visits are a festive opportunity for family gatherings
Eid visits are a festive opportunity for family gatherings and to take photos of family members. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
Amani distributes toys, sweets and gifts to the family children
Amani distributes toys, sweets and gifts to the children in her family, which she prepares every Eid. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
The Eid photo of Amani Al-Kahlout's family
An Eid family photo of Amani al-Kahlout, her husband Abdel Moez, and their two daughters, Julia, four, and Salma, two. [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]


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