GAZA, March 17 (Xinhua) -- In one of Gaza City's crowded markets, Kamal Dughmush stands behind a small wooden table stacked with trays of date-filled Eid cakes. A few customers gather, buying modest quantities of the sweet pastries, a sight largely absent in Gaza for more than two years amid war and a severe humanitarian crisis.
For the first time in a long while, many Palestinians in Gaza are preparing for Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramadan, with traditional foods: date-filled cakes and salted fish, a dish some families eat on the morning of the holiday.
Dughmush, 54, a father of eight, sells a kilogram of the cakes for about 10 U.S. dollars at a bustling market in Gaza City. "Date-filled Eid cakes are the joy of Eid. Without them, the holiday feels incomplete," he said.
For Palestinian families, these pastries have long been a cornerstone of Eid celebrations. "Just as people feel joy offering sacrifices during Eid al-Adha, families are happy when they can buy or make cakes for their children during Eid al-Fitr," Dughmush said.
Last year, he said, the scene was different. Vendors could not make or sell sweets because of worsening humanitarian conditions. "Food supplies were scarce, prices were sky-high. At one point, a kilogram of sugar cost more than 100 dollars," he recalled.
In recent weeks, slightly improved access to food has allowed limited production of Eid treats to resume. "The quantities are smaller than before the war, but at least people can buy something for the holiday," Dughmush said.
Salted fish has returned to some shops, too. In a small store, Suhail al-Mashharawi arranged pieces of the preserved fish in large plastic containers as customers stopped by for modest portions. "Eating salted fish on the morning of Eid is an old tradition for some families here," said al-Mashharawi, 44, a father of three. He noted that while purchasing power remains low, residents still try to uphold customs. "People here try to celebrate Eid despite difficult conditions."
At home, women in Gaza have begun baking Eid cookies for family or to sell small amounts to neighbors. In a modest house west of the city, several women worked around a flour-dusted table, shaping pastries before sliding them into a nearby oven.
Om Ahmed al-Ghalayini, a mother of four, said making Eid cakes had become a way to support her family amid rising unemployment. "People really missed Eid cakes, so we started making them again," she said. "Some of us sell them to neighbors or in nearby markets. The small income helps families buy necessities."
Despite these glimpses of celebration, Gaza's humanitarian crisis persists. Many homes were destroyed in the war, and thousands of families remain in temporary shelters or damaged houses. Yet, for many residents, preserving holiday traditions provides a sense of continuity and hope.
Om Mohammed al-Qudra, a resident of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, has turned her kitchen into a small workshop producing limited quantities of sweets. "People here want to celebrate Eid, even with simple things," she said.
