GAZA - Eid al-Adha reminds people of togetherness and celebration in much of the Muslim world, but for Ahmed Nashwan, a Palestinian man from the Gaza Strip, it serves as a reminder of the suffering and sorrow brought by war, reported Xinhua.
For the third year in a row, he did not go with his brothers and sons to the livestock markets to choose a sacrificial animal, one of the most iconic traditions of the Muslim holiday.
"Before the war, Eid al-Adha was a joyful occasion for us.
"We used to gather as a family to select the sacrificial animal, prepare for the holiday, and distribute meat to relatives and poor families," said Nashwan.
The four-day Eid al-Adha, is one of the two major Islamic holidays and is marked by the slaughter of livestock by those who can afford it.
"Now the holiday has been reduced to prayers and memories for us," Nashwan said, "because there is no livestock entering Gaza and most people can barely secure daily food."
Despite the ceasefire reached between Hamas and Israel in October 2025, Israel has continued to maintain tight restrictions on the strip, severely limiting the flow of goods into the enclave.
Even livestock such as sheep and calves, essential for Eid al-Adha sacrifices, remain in short supply and far from meeting local needs.
According to Maher al-Tabbaa, director of the Gaza Chamber of Commerce, the price of a single sacrificial animal had risen from around US$500 dollars before the war to between US$6,000 and US$7,000 currently, far beyond the purchasing power of most residents.
Mohammed al-Hissi, a 40-year-old father of four from Gaza City, said that sacrificial animals have become nearly impossible to obtain because of severe shortages and soaring prices.
"Eid al-Adha was always one of the happiest times for our family. My children used to wake up early, wear new clothes, and accompany me to visit relatives after we distributed the meat.
"But today, everything has changed because of the war and the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
"Most families can no longer think about buying sacrificial animals because prices are extremely high and people have lost their incomes and homes," he said.
In southern Gaza, Mohammed Shallah stood beside the grave of his father, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, recalling family traditions during previous Eid holidays.
"We used to go together with my father and relatives to choose sacrificial animals. Even if livestock can still be found, the prices are extremely high.
"I cannot afford to buy a sacrificial animal anymore," Shallah, 22, said, adding that he can no longer afford to continue the traditions his father once maintained.
Livestock trader Salah Afana confirmed that prices have risen several-fold since the outbreak of the war, while demand for sacrificial animals has become "almost non-existent" due to widespread poverty.
"Many animals died because of airstrikes, feed shortages, and the collapse of veterinary services. At the same time, no livestock has entered Gaza because of the crossing closures," he added.
Raafat Asaliya, spokesperson for the Hamas-run Agriculture Ministry, said the enclave used to import between 10,000 and 20,000 calves and between 30,000 and 40,000 sheep annually ahead of Eid al-Adha before the war.
"With the war and the closure of crossings, imports stopped completely," said Asaliya, adding that many livestock farms, barns, and feed warehouses had been destroyed during the war.
The destruction of livestock production areas in eastern Gaza had severely affected the availability of sacrificial animals, said al-Tabbaa.
"The population of Gaza has been deprived of sacrificial animals for the third consecutive year," he said.
"No one knows how many more Eid al-Adha holidays without sacrifices Gazans will have to endure." - BERNAMA-XINHUA