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No feasts, no joy: Gazans mark a dark Eid

New clothes for children, sacrificial sheep and Eid biscuits, the hallmarks of Eidul Azha, are all either unaffordable or unavailable in Gaza, casting a shadow over what is usually a time of celebration and joy. "I go to the market only to look around because I cannot afford to buy anything. Whenever I ask about prices, I return heartbroken," Nadia Abu Shamala, a Palestinian resident of Gaza, told AFP. "This year, Eid comes with none of the joy we once knew in Gaza because of the effects of the war, the soaring prices, and our inability to provide even the simplest needs for our children," said the 40-year-old woman from Gaza's north displaced to the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah for over two years. Many Palestinian bakers make Eid biscuits for Eidul Azha but this year many Gazans can't afford to buy them. PHOTO: AFP Despite a US-brokered ceasefire that began in October 2025, Israeli air strikes are still common in Gaza, where 80% of...
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Hajj pilgrims stone the devil in final ritual

Muslim faithful took part in the climactic ritual of the annual Hajj pilgrimage on Wednesday, symbolically stoning the devil near Makkah. From dawn, crowds of pilgrims gathered in the valley of Mina, southeast of the holy city of Makkah, to throw pebbles at concrete pillars symbolising the devil. It reenacts Prophet Ibrahim's (AS) stoning of the devil at three places where Satan is said to have tried to dissuade him from obeying God's command to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ismail (AS). More than 1.7 million people are taking part in the Hajj this year. The pilgrimage is a requirement for all Muslims to perform at least once in their life if they have the means. Read: Pak pilgrims slam Hajj arrangements The most important festival in Islam has, for the third year in a row, been overshadowed by war — this time the United States-Israeli conflict with Iran that has drawn in the Gulf nations. A fragile ceasefire, in place since April 8, has mostly brought a halt to the fighting but diplomatic efforts to bring the war to a definitive end have proved inconclusive so far. The Hajj, which involves a series of mostly outdoor rituals over several days, is taking place during intense heat this year. On Tuesday, pilgrims prayed atop Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is believed to have delivered his last sermon, enduring temperatures of 45 °C. They then spent the night under the stars at Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and Mina, where they collected pebbles for the stoning. Read More: Hajj sermon stresses Muslims to uphold unity, prepare for Day of Judgment After this final ceremony, the pilgrims return to Makkah for a last circumambulation of the Kaaba at the heart of the Grand Mosque.

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