Region | Palestinian Territories

Palestinians in no mood to celebrate Eid

Deadly air strikes leave some families mourning the death of loved ones and others homeless

  • By Nasser Najjar, Correspondent
  • Published: 00:00 August 30, 2011
  • Gulf News

Grieving
  • Image Credit: Nasser Najjar/Gulf News
  • From left: Grieving: The family of 20-year-old Hesham Abu Harb will welcome Eid with sadness after he was killed while working in a tunnel between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. Big brother taken away: Abu Harb had promised to surprise his younger brothers by bringing them toys after his shift ended but never got to do so as he was killed in his prime by an Israeli air strike.

Gaza: While many Muslims are marking Eid Al Fitr this year with gifts and feasts, many Palestinians in the Gaza Strip will be ushering in the holiday with sadness and sorrow after a series of deadly military strikes by Israel last week.

Israeli air strikes left at least 15 Palestinians dead, while injuring more than 70 people.

Hesham Abu Harb, 20, was one of the martyrs who was killed by an Israeli air strike while he was working in one of tunnels between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

Abu Harb was trying to earn a living and support his family which lives in a small house in the Rafah Refugee camp.

"This will be the worst Eid of my life. I won't be able to see my son in his new clothes. He won't eat the cookies I made him this year," his mother Fatima said, weeping.

"Al hamdullah. I am happy my son was killed by the Jews and became a martyr," she added.

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She went on further to reflect on the last time she had seen her son alive.

"He told me he [wanted] to surprise his younger brothers and bring them toys after his shift [ended]. The toys never came and neither did he," Fatima said.

Though Eid is traditionally a day of joy, plenty of Palestinians were not in the mood to celebrate.

Damaged houses

Just a week ago, the Israeli Air Force targeted the Bait Lahiya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip. F-16 jets targeted a sports club in the middle of a crowded neighbourhood, and severely damaging surrounding houses in the process.

Munder Abdul Al Aziz, 46, was preparing to move his family into their new home after Eid Al Fitr, but the Israeli air strikes destroyed most of the house and now it needs to be rebuilt.

Read more Eid and Ramadan-related stories

"For the past 25 years I have been working hard to build a house of my own. I was preparing to live here after Eid. My dreams [were] shattered within seconds," Abdul Aziz said.

Because of the Gaza siege, the prices of building materials are very high, making the cost of building homes in the coastal territory very expensive.

"I sold everything I have. I sold my small house in the refugee camp, my wife's gold and even had to borrow money to build this house," Abdul Aziz said.

"To top it off I'm renting a house now and I don't know what to do," Abdul Aziz added.

"Israeli brutality has destroyed Eid for all of us."

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