Less spending, higher prices and fewer animal sacrifices subdued the usual festive mood as the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha was celebrated in many parts of the world.
Eid al-Adha, known as the “Feast of Sacrifice,” coincides with the final rites of the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. It’s a joyous occasion, for which food is a hallmark, with devout Muslims buying and slaughtering animals and sharing two-thirds of the meat with the poor.
Palestinians across the war-ravaged Gaza Strip marked the start of the three-day feast with prayers outside destroyed mosques and homes early Friday.
For the second year since the war with Israelbroke out on Oct. 7, 2023, no Muslims in Gaza were able to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the traditional pilgrimage. With much of Gaza in rubble, men and children were forced to hold Eid al-Adha prayers in the open air, and with food supplies dwindling, families were having to make do with what …