Gaza Woman Maintains Eid Traditions Amidst Rubble and Shortages

Gaza Residents Struggle with Eid Baking Amid Border Closures and Rising Prices

In the Gaza Strip, families are working together to prepare traditional Eid treats despite challenges posed by border closures and rising food prices. In a partially damaged house in northern Gaza, Samira Touman is busy preparing for the upcoming Eid holiday.

Touman, a 60-year-old mother of seven, is joined by her daughters and daughter-in-law as they shape dough into kaak and maamoul cookies. The family is also taking orders from customers and neighbors to supplement their income ahead of Eid al-Fitr. Despite the difficulties, Touman remains committed to keeping traditional recipes alive.

The recent closure of border crossings by Israel has increased the cost of ingredients such as flour, semolina, date paste, ghee, and sugar. The closures have also limited access to basic goods, forcing residents to rely on alternative sources. Touman’s business, which was previously run through a social media page, has been severely impacted.

Touman recalls the pre-war period when she could support her household with ease. However, since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza, residents have faced extreme difficulties in accessing basic goods and services. The family is now forced to work by hand without access to resources they once had.

As Touman tends to the fire that fuels their oven, she expresses her concerns about the impact of rising prices on Eid celebrations. “There are always things that spoil the joy,” she says. “I was happy at the beginning of Ramadan, but my joy faded after I saw how expensive ingredients had become.”

Source: Al Jazeera