KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Palestinians in Khan Younis observed Eid al-Adha prayers on Sunday amidst ruins, as the city showed little sign of celebration due to the ongoing conflict.
Worshippers laid prayer mats among the rubble of destroyed buildings, with only a few children donning traditional jalabiya on their way to prayers.
“There are no sacrificed animals, now we sacrifice ourselves, we sacrifice our own bodies, but there’s none of Eid celebrations in Gaza,” said Mahmoud Abdel Jawad, a resident who attended the prayers.
The war in Gaza erupted on October 7 when Hamas militants stormed southern Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli reports.
Israel has responded with a military assault on the Gaza Strip, which has resulted in over 37,296 Palestinian deaths, according to the Gaza health ministry, and has led to the destruction of much of the enclave.
