Giant wedding in Gaza during fragile ceasefire
More than 50 couples have tied the knot in a mass wedding in southern Gaza. The celebration was a rare moment of joy after two years of war.
– God willing, this will be the end of the war, says the groom Hikmat Lawwa.
Weddings have become unusual in Gaza during the war. But on Tuesday, Eman Hassan Lawwa walked hand in hand with Hikmat Lawwa past destroyed buildings in Khan Yunis. She dressed in traditional Palestinian patterns, he in a suit – just like dozens of other brides and grooms there.
– Despite everything that has happened, we will start a new life, says Hikmat Lawwa.
Crowds waved Palestinian flags, but the celebrations were much more subdued than usual. Most of the two million residents have been displaced by the war, entire neighborhoods have been razed to the ground, and the shortage of supplies remains severe.
Eman Hassan Lawwa and Hikmat Lawwa fled the city of Dayr al-Balah during the war and have struggled to find basic things like food and shelter.
“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,” says Hikmat Lawwa.
“Today, my dream is to find a tent to live in.”
Eman Hassan Lawwa says the wedding brought a moment of relief from all the suffering, but adds that it was also marked by the loss of her parents and other relatives who were killed in the war.
“It’s hard to experience joy after such grief,” she says.
The giant wedding was financed by the aid organization al-Fares al-Shahim, which is supported by the United Arab Emirates.
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