GAZA, (PIC)
Two mass weddings held in Al-Mawasi, west of Khan Yunis, offered displaced Palestinians in Gaza rare moments of joy and resilience as families continue to endure war, destruction and harsh living conditions.
On Thursday, Al-Mawasi hosted a mass wedding for 62 brides and grooms displaced from the town of Khuza’a. All participants were members of the al-Najjar family, which had lost around 200 members during the war.
The event, the family’s second collective wedding, was organized as a message of steadfastness and a declaration that life continues despite destruction and displacement.
Fawzi al-Najjar, one of the grooms, said the war had taken his brother and his home, just as it had taken loved ones and property from thousands of Palestinians. Still, he said, people remain determined to hold on to hope and continue living.
He said the wedding carried a message that suffering would not break the will of Palestinians or deprive them of their right to joy.
Khuza’a Mayor Shahda Abu Ruk said holding the wedding under such exceptional circumstances was a message of resilience and hope for the town’s residents, who continue to face the consequences of war and forced displacement.
He said Khuza’a, which has suffered widespread destruction for the fourth time, remains capable of rising again despite its heavy losses. Its people, he added, continue to cling to life and create joy because they believe hope is stronger than destruction. In a separate mass wedding in Al-Mawasi, hundreds of Palestinians also attended a ceremony for 40 brides and grooms with disabilities and war injuries.
The event, held Wednesday, was organized by the Palestinian Qanatir al-Khair Association with funding and sponsorship from Moroccan donors, and with the participation of several relief, youth and community organizations.
Hazem Suleiman, one of the organizers, said the wedding targeted people with disabilities and war injuries, including amputees, those who had lost an eye, and others with hearing or mobility impairments, including paralysis.
The ceremony featured traditional Palestinian performances, including Dabke and folk songs, while the brides wore traditional embroidered Palestinian dresses.
The newlyweds received financial and in-kind support from several initiatives, including cash assistance from sponsors, tents for shelter and food parcels from local organizations.
The two weddings reflected Palestinians’ determination to preserve life, family and social traditions despite the enormous losses caused by Israeli genocidal war and displacement.