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Gaza Residents Mark Third Eid al-Adha Under Livestock Shortages and Movement Limits
Palestinians in Gaza are observing Eid al-Adha for a third consecutive year under restrictions that limit animal imports, block Hajj travel, and prevent many families from returning to homes. Prices for remaining livestock have risen sharply, and traditional sacrifices are largely unavailable.
May 27, 9:59 AM·1m read1 source
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Residents across Gaza are marking Eid al-Adha on 27 May 2026 while living in tents or displacement sites, with many unable to perform customary rituals. Israeli restrictions on exit points have prevented any pilgrims from Gaza from traveling for Hajj this year, according to accounts from displaced families. The pilgrimage normally coincides with the Eid holiday.
Livestock markets in central Gaza show few animals available. A 50-kilogram sheep now sells for 16,000 to 17,000 shekels, compared with roughly 2,000 shekels before October 2023, residents told Al Jazeera. Gaza’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported that more than 90 percent of livestock farms have been destroyed or damaged since the war began.
Israel has also barred entry of live animals into the territory.
Hamdan, 68, said her name had been on the 2024 Hajj list with her husband, who was killed in an Israeli strike last year. She remains in a tent in Gaza City and said she has no prospect of leaving. Emad Suhweil, 43, a father of five displaced from Beit Lahiya, said families cannot afford even basic vegetables and that Eid celebrations have lost their traditional components.
Fawzi Hamdan, 63, said he substituted canned meat for a sacrifice last year and does not know what he will do this year. Intisar Awda, 56, displaced from Beit Hanoon, recalled past Eids filled with family visits and meat dishes; she has lost a daughter and three grandchildren during the conflict.
