In Photos: Gaza Rises Above the Rubble to Celebrate Eid

Palestinians in Gaza celebrate Eid Al Adha under the hashtags #GazaEid and #غزة_بدها_تعيد (meaning, Gaza wants to celebrate Eid). This photograph shared by the Palestinian Information Center shows children in a busy shopping street marketing the hashtag yesterday

Palestinians in Gaza celebrate Eid Al Adha under the hashtags #GazaEid and #غزة_بدها_تعيد (meaning, Gaza wants to celebrate Eid). This photograph shared by the Palestinian Information Center shows children in a busy shopping street marketing the hashtag yesterday

With over 2,000 Palestinian deaths in the latest Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, citizens still find reasons to commemorate the Islamic Eid Al-Adha, which begins across the Muslim world today.

Eid Al Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice culminates the Hajj season, which this year attracted 2 million pilgrims from around the world.

In Gaza, there is hope amidst rubble, destruction, and loss. Twitter users began circulating images of crowded streets and markets, and shared positive messages using the hashtags #GazaEid and #غزة_بدها_تعيد (meaning, Gaza wants to celebrate Eid).

The 50-day offensive, which killed at least 2,137 Palestinians, a majority of whom were civilians, including 577 children, and wounded at least 10,870 others, may have destroyed the Strip's infrastructure but has failed to dent the morale of civilians, who shake off the rubble today to celebrate Eid.

The attack has had a noticeable effect on Gaza's economy, with hardly any civilian infrastructure left untouched: over 18,000 homes destroyed, as well as over 100 schools, 50 health-care centers and 17 hospitals damaged or 20 destroyed.

Twitter user Sana'a Mohammed shares an image of a young boy playing in a demolished playground:

Just yesterday, citizen photographer Omar ElQattaa snaps a photograph of a man carrying an Eid sacrifice:

Sayel in Gaza posts a collage of Eid preparations:

Here are more images from Gaza's busy markets earlier this week from Hasan Mustafa:

And of course, Eid's spirit is always intensified by traditional, homemade ma'moul (date cookies):

Children, despite pain, will enjoy Eid, says Hiba in Gaza:

Despite the pain, the children of Gaza will commemorate Eid

More from Gaza's markets, where the spirits seem to be at a high:

Gaza wants to celebrate Eid

Nuseiba points out that despite the many sacrifices and losses Gaza endured those last few months, the city still wants to celebrate Eid:

This year the Feast of Sacrifice came early to Gaza, which sacrificed its children and property. Despite all this, Gaza wants to celebrate Eid

Farah joins Nuseiba, and the hundreds of other Twitter users when noting how just last Eid, Gaza was still under attack:

Indeed they do:

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