Gaza under siege… an Eid without sacrifices and a city bleeding

The blessed Eid al-Adha arrives in the Gaza Strip for the third year in a row, while more than two million Palestinians are suffering under the weight of siege, destruction and hunger, in a humanitarian scene that is the harshest in decades, after the joy of the holiday turned into a season of sadness, loss and deprivation.

While the people of the world prepare to welcome the holiday with sacrifices, visits and expressions of joy, the residents of Gaza live a completely different reality, characterized by tents, rubble and long queues in search of food, water and medicine, in light of the continued Israeli aggression, the suffocating siege and the prevention of the entry of aid, fuel and basic materials.

A worsening humanitarian catastrophe
The Government Media Office in Gaza confirmed that the sector is facing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe as Eid al-Adha approaches, as a result of the continued closure of crossings and the prevention of the entry of sufficient quantities of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and fuel, which has exacerbated the suffering of the population and pushed living conditions towards catastrophic levels.

He explained that more than 2.4 million Palestinians are living in dire conditions amid a widespread collapse in food security, a severe shortage of basic materials, and a significant inability to meet growing humanitarian needs.

He pointed out that restrictions on the entry of fuel and goods have disrupted supply chains, raised prices, and reduced the ability of bakeries and vital facilities to continue operating, making daily life in the sector more difficult as the holiday approaches.

Figures reveal the extent of the blockade
According to official data, the humanitarian agreements stipulated the entry of 600 aid trucks daily, including 50 fuel trucks, but what actually entered during the past week did not exceed 1,196 trucks out of the 4,200 trucks supposed, a percentage not exceeding 28 percent.

As for fuel, the quantities supplied did not exceed 14 percent of the agreed-upon need, which directly affected hospitals, shelters, water stations and basic services.

The media office confirmed that these figures reflect a systematic starvation policy and a collective siege that exacerbates the humanitarian collapse within the sector, in clear violation of international law and humanitarian agreements.

A holiday without sacrifices
For the third year, the people of Gaza are receiving Eid al-Adha amid a complete absence of sacrificial animals and livestock, after the Israeli enemy prevented the entry of calves and sheep into the sector for years, as part of the siege and closure policy. Livestock markets have become empty, while prices have risen unprecedentedly due to the lack of supply, the decline in livestock, and the high costs of feed, care, and transportation, which has deprived thousands of families of performing the ritual sacrifice.

Ongoing violations
Despite the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli enemy forces continue their daily violations against civilians in the Gaza Strip, through bombing, shooting, and targeting the tents of displaced people, fishermen, and residential areas.

In the past few hours, a number of Palestinians, including children and women, were killed and wounded as a result of raids and shelling that targeted various areas of the Gaza Strip, while Israeli artillery continues to target the eastern and northern areas.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the death toll from the Israeli aggression since October 7, 2023 has risen to 72,797 martyrs, in addition to 172,821 wounded, in one of the bloodiest wars in the history of the Palestinian people.

Al-Aqsa under threat
In occupied Jerusalem, violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque are escalating, with the mosque’s preacher, Sheikh Akrama Sabri, warning of the increasing dangers threatening the blessed mosque, following dangerous and unprecedented incursions carried out by settlers under the protection of enemy forces.

He stressed that what is happening is part of plans aimed at imposing a new reality inside Al-Aqsa Mosque and Judaizing Jerusalem, calling on Arabs and Muslims to take urgent action to protect Islamic holy sites.

The West Bank and expanding repression
In the West Bank, enemy forces continued their raids and arrests of Palestinians, in addition to raiding homes and seizing property and agricultural equipment, as part of the ongoing policy of oppression against Palestinians.

Several cities and towns witnessed raids and arrests targeting young men, women, and released prisoners, coinciding with an escalation of settler attacks on Palestinian villages.

Resilience despite the wounds
Despite the siege, hunger, and destruction, the Palestinians in Gaza are still clinging to life and their