For the first time in nearly two years, the markets of the Gaza Strip are slowly regaining the familiar rhythms for Eid al-Fitr preparations.
In the crowded alleyways of Gaza City, Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah, vendors shout out prices as families move cautiously between stalls selling children's clothes, sweets and food for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday.
The bustle evokes memories of pre-war celebrations, when packed markets marked the end of Ramadan, the smell of freshly baked Eid cookies filled the air, and children excitedly awaited new clothes.
Yet this year's preparations unfold against a backdrop of devastation and uncertainty. Much of Gaza remains in ruins after more than two years of an Israeli genocidal war, while tens of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians continue to live in tents, schools and damaged homes after being displaced.
Even though a fragile ceasefire has reduced large-scale fighting, Israel continues to attack and kill Palestinian civilians.
Palestinian health ministry in Gaza said in a press statement that Israeli forces have killed more than 670 Palestinians since the ceasefire came into effect, in sporadic bombardments and shootings across the enclave.
For many residents, the cautious return of Eid traditions carries both relief and grief.
"We missed the feeling of Eid, but the truth is that most people have no money. Many come to look around or buy something small for their children," Abu Mohammed Radi, a Gaza-based Palestinian man, told The New Arab.
Still, the presence of families in the markets itself is a rare moment of normality after months in which daily survival overshadowed any thought of celebration.
Markets return to life as purchasing power collapses
In Gaza City's historic Zawiya market, the narrow streets are filled with people examining modest clothing displays, homemade sweets and basic food supplies.
Separately speaking with TNA, shopkeepers said that the crowds are larger than in recent months, but sales remain far below what they once were.
Many stores have adapted to the dire economic situation by selling second-hand clothing or inexpensive items aimed at families struggling to survive.
"People want to make their children happy, but prices are very high, and purchasing power is extremely weak," Majd Abu Kwaik, an owner of a clothes shop in Gaza City, told TNA.
Years of an Israeli blockade followed by months of genocidal war have devastated Gaza's economy. Hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs, businesses and sources of income.
As a result, many residents now rely on humanitarian aid or whatever savings they managed to preserve during the conflict.
Some families walk through the markets without buying anything at all.
"They come just to feel the Eid atmosphere," Abu Kwaik said.
Even basic holiday items have become luxuries. The prices of sugar, flour and cooking oil have surged due to supply shortages and the continuing restrictions on goods entering Gaza.
"Everything is expensive, even fish has become costly because fishermen cannot work freely and supplies are limited, and this will make the prices of salted fish higher," Abu Kwaik added.
For families who once bought large quantities of sweets and clothes for the holiday, this year's preparations are reduced to the bare minimum.
Reviving traditions
Despite the hardship, many Palestinians in Gaza are determined to preserve the traditions that define Eid.
Inside a partially damaged home in Deir al-Balah, a group of women gather around a small kitchen table to prepare al-Eid cake, the traditional Palestinian holiday cookies filled with dates.
The room is simple and crowded, but laughter and conversation fill the space as the women shape the dough by hand.
For Um Mahmoud Nassar, a mother of five, the moment carries deep emotional meaning.
"We haven't made Eid cakes for a long time," she told TNA, carefully placing trays of dough into a small makeshift oven. "During the war, we were displaced, and there was no flour or sugar."
"This year we managed to collect a little," she said. "Even if it's a small amount, it makes the children feel that Eid is still coming."
For many families, preparing these sweets is not only about food but also about reclaiming a sense of normal life shattered by Israel's war.
Nearby, another tradition is quietly returning.
In a corner of a crowded displacement shelter, 39-year-old Jawahir Abu Asi sits, cleaning fish that she will later salt and ferment into salted fish, a popular dish eaten during Eid celebrations.
She began preparing the fish while living in the shelter after being displaced during the war, turning the tradition into a small business to support her family.
"Salted fish [known as fseekh in Gaza] is something people love during Eid," she said while rubbing salt into the fish. "Even after everything we've been through, people still want these traditions."
Jawahir sells her products through social media and small market stalls whenever possible.
"I prepare the quantity depending on the demand and sell it online or in the market," she added. "It helps me provide a little income."
Despite the cramped conditions of the shelter and the difficulties of displacement, she said the work gives her a sense of dignity.
"When I work, I feel that I can still do something for my family," she explained.
Overshadowed by war
While signs of Eid begin to appear across Gaza, the scars of Israel's war remain visible everywhere.
Entire neighbourhoods are still reduced to rubble, and hundreds of thousands of people continue to live in tents or damaged buildings after months of displacement.
For many families, the holiday will be marked by the absence of relatives killed during the conflict.
At the same time, the ceasefire has not completely ended violence.
According to Palestinian medical sources, Israeli forces have killed more than 670 Palestinians since the one-sided ceasefire began in October 2025 in different areas of the Strip.
Yet despite the uncertainty, many Palestinians are determined to create small moments of joy for their children.
In some displacement camps, volunteers distribute simple sweets and toys, while families organise modest gatherings in tents.
Aya al-Aqad, a university student displaced with her family to a tent near Khan Younis, told TNA that the meaning of Eid has changed.
"This Eid will not be like the ones before the war," she said. "But we are trying to create even a small moment of happiness."
For many in Gaza, the holiday carries deeper hope. "We hope this Eid will mark the beginning of the end of our suffering," Aya said quietly.