Children Play in Rubble of Gaza for Eid Holiday
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Alaina
- . April 13, 2024
- . Update: April 13, 2024 7:20 pm
During the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the children of Gaza found themselves playing among the rubble of bombed-out buildings rather than enjoying new toys and family celebrations. The six-month Israeli air and ground campaign in Gaza has devastated the enclave, with most people driven from their homes, parts of the region facing famine, and disease spreading through the tent cities where many now live.
Making Do With Makeshift Toys – Children Play in Rubble
With Israel halting commercial imports into Gaza as part of its offensive, few families could afford new toys for their children. Instead, the kids resorted to creativity, building a makeshift seesaw out of a pipe in the rubble of a bomb site. “We built this game because all our toys have been destroyed and our houses have been destroyed and there’s nothing for us to play with except this pipe,” said 14-year-old Magd Dahman.
Sombre Eid Celebrations
The usual joy and festivity of Eid al-Fitr were largely absent in Gaza this year. “There isn’t an atmosphere of Eid or the joy that comes with it,” said 14-year-old Mohamed Abu al-Qomsan, playing a drum to entertain the other children gathered around the makeshift seesaw. “As you can see, children are playing on the rubble and rocks.”
Trauma and Tragedy
The war has taken a heavy toll on the children of Gaza, with many having lost parents or other family members. “Some of these children’s fathers have been martyred. Their mothers have been martyred,” said Abdulrahman Abu Karsh, an activist organising children’s entertainment in Rafah in the south of Gaza. “There’s sadness everywhere.”
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Resilience Amidst the Ruins
Despite the devastation, the children of Gaza found ways to play and find moments of joy, even if their games reflected the realities of the conflict around them. Boys reenacted battles between Hamas fighters and Israeli forces using plastic guns, while the makeshift seesaw provided a distraction from the destruction. The resilience of these young Gazans in the face of such adversity was a testament to the human spirit.
