GAZA, March 29 (Xinhua) -- For the second consecutive year, the festive atmosphere for Eid al-Fitr is absent in Gaza, where thousands of families remain displaced in makeshift tents, mourning the loss of their homes and loved ones. Once vibrant streets, usually adorned with decorations and filled with children's laughter, now stand in ruins -- silent reminders of the devastation caused by relentless Israeli bombardment.
According to the Islamic calendar, Muslims worldwide are expected to celebrate the first day of Eid al-Fitr on Sunday or Monday, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon. But in Gaza, there is little to celebrate.
In Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, Suad Abu Shahla, 29, sits outside a tattered fabric tent, trying to soothe her crying child.
A mother of four, Suad lost her home in Beit Lahia in November 2024 when Israeli forces bombed the area. Since then, she and her family have endured harsh conditions in a fragile shelter offering little protection from the cold or heat.
"Eid has lost its meaning here in Gaza," Suad told Xinhua. "Before the war, we used to buy clothes and sweets for the children. Now, we can't even afford bread."
"My children ask me, 'Will we get new clothes? Will we ever return home?' But I have no answers," she added.
Across Gaza City, the scars of war are everywhere. Collapsed buildings, rubble-filled streets, and damaged infrastructure reflect the toll of the conflict.
In the al-Rimal neighborhood, once one of Gaza City's most affluent areas, most buildings are either leveled or severely damaged. Burned-out cars and fallen power lines line the deserted roads.
"Last year, despite the war, we tried to create an atmosphere of joy. Now, I can't even buy sweets for my children," said Marwan Al-Haddad, 37, who was displaced from Beit Hanoun after the recent Israeli escalation last week.
"How can I tell my children that the war will end soon?" he added. "Whenever we wake up to the sounds of bombing, we realize that peace is still far away."
For business owners, the situation is just as dire. On Wehda Street, a bustling commercial hub in central Gaza City before the war, most stores remain closed or destroyed. Ibrahim Siam, a sweets shop owner, lamented the collapse of his business.
"I used to sell dozens of kilograms of sweets during Eid," Siam told Xinhua. "Now, people can barely find bread."
The suffering has deepened since Israel resumed military operations on March 18, following a nearly two-month relative calm. Some families had started to return to their homes in northern Gaza, only to be forced to flee again.
In Jabalia refugee camp in the north of Gaza Strip, market activity remains stagnant. Abdul Rahman al-Zein, a clothing store owner, said few people can afford to buy Eid clothes. "People are focused on survival."
In Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Fatima Qudeih, 32, has been living in a tent with her three children since losing her home in an airstrike on Jabalia.
"My children ask why we don't buy new clothes or go to the market like we used to," Qudeih told Xinhua. "I tell them we will buy them after the war ends, but they've started to lose faith in my words."
The new wave of Israeli airstrikes has killed at least 921 people and wounded 2,054 others, the Gaza-based health authorities said on Saturday.
Reham Odeh, a political expert based in the Gaza Strip, said the conflict's impact on Gazan society is profound.
"The war has not only destroyed homes but has also shattered the morale of Gaza's residents," Odeh said, noting even if the conflict were to end today, its repercussions would last for decades.
"Thousands of families have lost their breadwinners, and the infrastructure will need to be rebuilt from scratch," she said. ■