Eid Celebrations Shattered by Airstrikes

For many families in Gaza, the hope for peace remains elusive, even during traditionally festive periods. Widad Al-Husari, 31, and her family, like countless others, sought to find a semblance of normalcy during Eid al-Adha on a Gaza City rooftop. They shared a meal, sweets, and watched children play in new clothes, attempting to create a holiday atmosphere amidst the backdrop of conflict and displacement. However, their efforts were tragically interrupted by an explosion that tore through the building.

In the ensuing chaos, Widad recounted falling through a missile-induced hole while holding her three-year-old son, Rafiq. She found herself suspended from metal rods above a raging fire, a scene she described as a 'horror movie.' Her husband and brothers eventually pulled them to safety, though Widad sustained injuries to her body. The strike resulted in the deaths of seven people, including two children and two women, and injured eighteen others. Among the injured was Widad's four-year-old niece, Sara al-Khalout, who was critically wounded and remains in intensive care.

Sixty-year-old Zuhdia Azzam, who resided on a lower floor of the same building, was also hosting Eid guests when the attack occurred. Her 12-year-old granddaughter, Sidra, was killed, and another granddaughter, Sham, 11, suffered an amputation of her leg. Azzam expressed profound dismay, noting that for the attackers, the presence of a holiday or a densely populated civilian area appeared to make no difference.

A Cycle of Displacement and Danger

The experiences of these families mirror those of thousands across Gaza, who have repeatedly been forced to relocate, only to find themselves in new zones of danger. Widad and her family had previously lived in the Zeitoun neighborhood until their home was destroyed in November 2023. With relatives' homes already overcrowded with displaced individuals, their only option was to seek refuge on a rented rooftop, a place they had hoped would offer safety for their children. This hope was tragically unfulfilled.

Widad articulated the pervasive fear, stating, 'Anyone who says the war has ended is lying. The ceasefire is a big lie, we live in daily fear, and there is no safe place.'

The Reality of a 'Ceasefire'

Despite reports of a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas since October 2025, the reality on the ground for many Palestinians suggests a continuation of hostilities. During this period, approximately 930 Palestinians have reportedly been killed and over 2,800 injured in ongoing Israeli attacks. Residential buildings, markets, vehicles, and cafes are still being hit, often without prior warning, leading to widespread destruction and severe trauma among the civilian population.

In some instances, families receive forced displacement orders from the Israeli military just minutes before their homes are demolished. This leaves them with insufficient time to salvage belongings, and survivors join the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians desperately searching for new shelter in a ravaged landscape.

Imad Khroub, 55, from the Shati refugee camp, experienced this firsthand. While celebrating the second day of Eid al-Adha with his family, his son received a call from Israeli military intelligence, ordering them and other residents to evacuate their apartment block. Fifteen minutes later, an airstrike leveled the building. Khroub described the sudden transition from happy moments to cries, screams, and panicked flight, stating, 'We took nothing. We left with only the clothes we were wearing.'

Saad, Imad's 31-year-old son, saw years of effort and savings, intended for his upcoming wedding apartment, reduced to rubble. He expressed disbelief, never imagining his home would be targeted.

International Law and Civilian Protection

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights has issued warnings that the ongoing attacks on Gaza's remaining residential areas are creating conditions incompatible with human existence or dignity. They emphasize that 'evacuation warnings' do not provide legal justification for the destruction of homes, nor do they negate the protections afforded to civilians under international humanitarian law.

Amidst repeated displacement orders and bombings, Khroub observes that the conflict continues to follow him, despite any declared ceasefire. 'We thought we were lucky and had survived and that our home was still intact… but now we are back to square one,' he lamented. 'The war is still raging fiercely, only in a quieter form… and no one is paying attention to us.'

Source: An Eid celebration on a Gaza rooftop turns into a ‘horror movie’