As roaring crowds waved Palestinian flags in the southern city of Khan Younis, the celebrations were dampened by the ongoing crisis across Gaza. Most of Gaza’s 2 million residents, including Eman and Hikmat Lawwa, have been displaced by the war, entire areas of cities have been flattened and aid shortages and outbursts in conflict continue to plague the daily lives of people.The young couple, who are distant relatives, fled to the nearby town of Deir al-Balah during the war and have struggled to find basics like food and shelter.
They said they don’t know how they’re going to build their lives together, given the situation around them. “We want to be happy like the rest of the world. I used to dream of having a home, a job, and being like everyone else,” Hikmat said. “Today, my dream is to find a tent to live in.” “Life has started to return, but it’s not like we hoped it would,” he added. The celebration was funded by Al Fares Al Shahim, a humanitarian aid operation backed by the United Arab Emirates. In addition to holding the event, the organization offered couples a small sum of money and other supplies to start their lives together.
