A sheep that once cost about 1,300 shekels now sells for more than 15,000, leaving most Gazans unable to afford an Eid sacrifice. For the third successive year Gazans will mark Eid al-Adha on 27 May under wartime conditions, Gaza officials said. Markets in the Strip are almost devoid of sacrificial animals and restrictions on exits have again prevented pilgrims from leaving.
Gaza’s ritual calendar arrives this year with little of its usual form. Ismail Al Thawabta, spokesman for Gaza's Government Media Office, said animals connected to the Eid al-Adha sacrifice are almost entirely absent from markets and that limits on exit points have again prevented pilgrim departures for a third year.
Livestock scarcity and soaring prices
For many Muslim families, the sacrifice and the Hajj pilgrimage are the twin pillars of Eid al-Adha. Both are effectively out of reach for large parts of the enclave. Producers and traders report sharp inflation and scant supply. Livestock breeder Mohammed Abu Zayed told local traders that a sheep that once cost about 1,300 shekels, roughly $350, can now exceed 15,000 shekels.
Displaced residents described markets offering only a tiny fraction of the animals that were once common. Emad Suhweil, 43, a father of five from Beit Lahiya, said the tradition of slaughtering and sharing meat has been lost for many families. "What is Eid al-Adha without sacrifices or Hajj. Today, people don’t even think about sacrifices … they can’t even afford two kilos of vegetables," he told Al Jazeera.
The few animals available are commonly home-grown, traders said, and carry price tags beyond the reach of most households. Gaza officials and residents described ongoing constraints on the entry of food and livestock since the start of the war. The outcome is predictable: the ritual slaughter that normally anchors communal feasting will be limited to a small minority.
Practical barriers deepen the shortfall. Electricity is erratic.
Fuel for generators is scarce and expensive, so refrigeration and longer term storage of meat are often impossible. Ayman Abu Al Qumsan, 35, a father of three, said there's no way to preserve meat for more than a day if a family does manage a sacrifice.
That reality undercuts the customary pattern of sharing portions with neighbours and extended family.
Movement restrictions affect more than markets. Local officials said limits on internal travel have left displaced people unable to reach or decorate damaged homes. Many families remain in camps or tents. I'tidal Hamdan, 68, who fled Beit Hanoon in northern Gaza and has spent much of the war living in a tent, said she won't be able to perform Hajj. "My husband wanted Hajj so much … and he was killed before he could fulfil his wish," she told Al Jazeera. Hamdan, a mother of 11, said two of her sons and six grandchildren were also killed during the conflict.
The human cost is woven into the economic collapse. Traders and residents described prices for basic food rising sharply, while many displaced families can't return to damaged or destroyed homes. Local spokespeople said the October ceasefire left living conditions largely unchanged for many, and that the longer term entry of supplies remains constrained.
Still, some families plan small acts of celebration. Several residents said they will prioritise children where possible, attempting modest meals or shared sweets. Others expect the day to be a muted occasion of remembrance for relatives killed in strikes, and a reminder of long-term displacement.
The combination of scant animals, steep prices, unreliable power and limits on movement means the public rhythms of Eid al-Adha will look very different across Gaza this year. Ritual slaughter will be reduced and communal feasting will be limited.
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Eid al-Adha falls on 27 May. For many displaced families it will be a muted pause to remember the dead rather than a festival, as shortages and movement restrictions endure. "My husband wanted Hajj so much, and he was killed before he could fulfil his wish," I'tidal Hamdan, 68, told Al Jazeera.
This article was created with AI assistance.
