Many of the newlyweds, as well as those watching on, carried the flags of Palestine and the United Arab Emirates, a significant aid donor and contributor to the wedding. With drummers and dancers taking to the stage, and the congregation sitting on plastic chairs or simply standing in the street, it was unlikely the special day the couples had dreamed of. However, many had feared it would never come — and the wedding provided respite from the difficulties of living in massive tent camps for displaced Palestinians across the strip.
“Before the war, I was engaged and we lived in a house, and now I am going to live in a tent in the middle of the destruction and pain that we live in,” 17-year-old bride Adeem Eid said. The ceasefire in Gaza had provided the opportunity for the event, following other ceremonies such as school and university graduations. Even though the truce has technically been in force since October 10, Israeli strikes across the strip have not stopped. The military insists it is enforcing the deal and targeting Hamas militants for violations of the agreement.
