'We're dead people': Palestinians in Gaza mark Eid but says there is 'no joy'

(27 May 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Khan Younis, Southern Gaza Strip - 27 May 2026 1. Various of people gathering for Eid prayer near destruction 2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mahmoud Saqer, from Khan Younis: ++PARTLY OVERLAID++ "There’s no Eid. There’s no joyous atmosphere of Eid. People are distressed. Death. Killings. The suffering and the situation we’re living in... this is not Eid and it’s not considered an Eid. We’re dead people. We’re dead.” 3. Various of people praying near destruction 4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Tahrir Al-Khatib, from Khan Younis: "This atmosphere is difficult. One wishes to feel joy and feel the atmosphere of Eid, but there’s no joy. The joy is silenced. Three years of war. Three years of suffering. There’s no joy at all. The meaning of life is nothing, there’s no joy in Eid.” ASSOCIATED PRESS Gaza City, Gaza Strip - 27 May 2026 5. Wide of people gathering for Eid prayer, the first day of Eid Al-Adha 6. Mid of women siting on prayer mats 7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ayda Al-Banna, from Gaza City: "There’s no Eid. My children were killed. Eid is only for the people who lost no one.” 8. Close of Ayda crying 9. Wide of women sitting on prayer mats STORYLINE: Palestinians in the Gaza Strip observed another grim Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, as dozens gathered for Eid prayers while reflecting on the joy the holiday once held and all the war has taken from them. Eid al-Adha, or “Feast of Sacrifice”, is an Islamic holiday celebrated by millions of Muslims across the globe. The four-day holiday, that begins during the Hajj, is also known for being a joyous occasion during which families gather, and children are given new clothes and gifts. “This is not Eid... we’re dead people,” said Mahmoud Saqer, a displaced man from Khan Younis, who described people as being distressed by the ongoing human suffering and killings in the territory. Amid destroyed buildings, including a ruined mosque, people gathered for Eid prayers with few signs of celebration beyond a few clusters of balloons lining one street. “There’s no Eid. My children were killed,” said Ayda Al-Banna, a displaced woman from Gaza City, who attended Eid prayers with her granddaughter. "Eid is only for the people who lost no one." =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...