The Power of Community: Eid al-Adha in Gaza
Muslims worldwide are marking Eid al-Adha, a profound time of reflection, sacrifice, and embracing community. For families in Gaza, this sacred time comes after eight months of unfathomable hardship. Amidst the violence and destruction that characterizes everyday life in Gaza, Palestinians are still finding moments to honor their faith.
World Central Kitchen’s team in the region began planning weeks ago to provide a special meal for families observing the holiday. On Sunday, the first day of the celebration, our Deir al-Balah Field Kitchen cooked 30,000 meals that included Zabihah lamb—something that many Palestinians have not been able to eat in months. Since October 2023, our teams have served over 51 million meals in Gaza.
Eid and hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, serve as reminders of the importance of compassion and generosity, as communities from all walks of life come together to uphold the values of faith, devotion, and charity. On this holiday in particular, the spirit of giving and unity are central. The Palestinians working with WCK personify these qualities every single day. Despite devastating personal loss, they show up to provide warm meals and empathy to their communities.
Shadi, WCK’s Culinary Manager in Gaza, shows up everyday for his community. Alongside the rest of our Deir al-Balah kitchen team, he prepares nourishing meals that provide a lifeline to Palestinians impacted by the worsening humanitarian crisis. Many of the meals that the Deir al-Balah kitchen cooks go to staff and patients in overcrowded hospitals, as well as displaced families living in tent camps or sheltering in schools.
Raeda, a volunteer in our Rafah kitchen that recently had to cease operations, also uses all of her skills to help people in need. In the mornings, she would come to WCK’s kitchen to help cook tens of thousands of pieces of bread for families who needed food. After spending hours cooking with WCK, she would go to a medical aid site in one of the tent camps in Rafah to help people who needed treatment. “My work with WCK and my work at the medical point have one common goal,” said Raeda, “to provide aid to all the displaced people.”
Our Rafah kitchen has been closed since the end of May, when the Israeli military issued evacuation orders in the area. Raeda and hundreds of other Palestinians who were working in the Rafah kitchen have not been able to work with WCK since the kitchen’s closing, but we wanted to find a way to say thank you and support their families. All Palestinians working with WCK in Gaza, including the staff from the now-closed Rafah kitchen, will be receiving enough lamb meat to cook a special meal during the holiday.
WCK-supported community kitchens in central Gaza organized activities for children to mark Eid. The kitchen teams set up games, dancing, skits, and provided sweet treats to bring a smile to kids in the region. The cold, sweet slushies were a big hit. In the darkest of circumstances, they are still able to create moments of joy.
Eid al-Adha is a time for gathering with loved ones and celebrating faith.There is not much quiet in Gaza right now, thousands of loved ones have been lost, and celebration can seem at odds with the current realities. Through it all, Palestinians continue to stand beside one another, holding one another up and proving the power of community. WCK and our teams around the world are humbled to stand beside them, and we are wishing Eid Mubarak to all.
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