Gaza - New York: Europe and the Arabs
How difficult it is for Eid to come to any place while its inhabitants suffer from destruction, killing, and displacement. For adults, who are well aware of what's going on around them, the holiday will be flavorless. But for children, it's different. They want to play and celebrate, seeking joy and fun, and experiencing the atmosphere enjoyed by all children around the world during Eid. However, it seems that deprivation of all these things is the fate of Gaza's children, given the woes faced by the population in the Palestinian territories, not only since October 2023, but throughout the past decades.
With the advent of Eid al-Fitr, once a symbol of joy in Gaza, a different scene unfolds in the Strip. The Square of the Unknown Soldier, once a venue for celebrations and events, has now been transformed into a camp for the displaced. Children stand among the tents, recalling memories of past holidays filled with toys and new clothes, while today the specter of war looms over them from all sides. The UN News Bulletin in Gaza, in a report from its correspondent in Gaza, conveyed the feelings of some children and their parents, expressing their sadness over the fading joy of Eid al-Fitr.
Joy Absent
Children living in this camp describe their lives before the war, when they would come to the Unknown Soldier Square to play and buy clothes and toys. Now, the square, which once brought them joy with the advent of Eid, has changed.
Baraa Abu Aisha, a child who works at a grocery store set up inside a tent in the square, says:
"We live in the Unknown Soldier area. Before the war, we used to come here to play and buy clothes and other necessities. Now, the place has been destroyed by tanks and missiles, and the entire square has become remnants of war. The area is in ruins, and there is nothing left."
Mohammed Saqallah, a child, says: "Before the war, the holidays were beautiful and full of everything. We used to come to the Unknown Soldier Square to play. Now, there is no Eid. The place is all tents and destruction, and this prevents us from enjoying the Eid."