Ahead of Eid al-Adha, which begins tomorrow (Wednesday), the markets in the Gaza Strip were filled with goodness. Fresh fruits and vegetables, goods, nuts and sweets filled the stalls. Children were seen holding colorful balloons and designer dolls that their parents had bought them for the holiday. But behind the colorful veil of the holiday atmosphere hides the soaring prices of various types of meat.
Many residents make do with buying parts of beef and meat from butcher shops instead of performing the mitzvah of slaughtering sheep customary on Eid al-Adha because of the heavy expenses involved. "It depends on the weight of the lamb. You can find it for 1500 shekels, but usually it costs 2000 shekels or more," Mohammed, a resident of the Gaza Strip, told Israel Hayom.
The streets are full of sweets, Photo: AFP
"Sometimes people split up and buy a whole lamb together and then the expenses are small. Personally, my family and I don't feel that the situation on this year's holiday is better than last year, on the contrary. The troubles are the same troubles. Even the workers who earn their living from work in Israel are in no hurry to spend money. Some of what they earn, they try to save for another six months and a year because they feel it's not guaranteed to them and don't know what tomorrow will bring, so if, God forbid, something happens, they'll have something to live on," he explains.
Omar, a Gaza resident whose children live abroad, says there is no proportion between the price of cattle and the monthly wage. "As far as residents in general are concerned, there is a modest demand for the slaughter of calves and sheep because there is no ability to buy. There is more demand, for example, from organizations and associations that buy and distribute to the poor, as well as residents whose relatives are outside Gaza – abroad and send them money so they can buy sheep."
This year as well, traders and cattle farmers tried to take advantage of the holiday and raise prices. The Palestinian Ministry of Economy issued several dozen fines to businesses that offered goods at exorbitant prices.
A Gazan boy with an Eid al-Adha lamb, photo: AFP
Ibrahim al-Qadi, director of the Consumer Protection Center in the Ministry of Economy, confirmed that Palestinian markets are witnessing less demand this year than in previous years due to the weakening purchasing power of the residents. "Veal has risen from NIS 18 to NIS 23 due to rising prices in Europe, the Palestinian market relies on imports and less on local goods," he said.
Farmers and cattle breeders also talk about rising prices of fodder products, estimating that cattle prices have risen by about 15%. Lamb prices vary depending on weight, type, and other parameters. Apart from Israel, sheep are also imported from Australia, Belgium and France. "Residents who have ordered sheep for slaughter pay half in cash and the rest in installments," said one cattle trader.
According to Palestinian residents, a kilo of lamb costs an average of about 40 shekels. "If we're talking about clean lamb, that is, without the skin and all the surrounding things, it comes to 80 shekels per kilogram. The economic situation is bad. There is no money, people take loans from the banks that raise interest rates, and the only ones who benefit financially are the capitalists and those who control the monopolies. The security situation is frightening. There is no holiday joy," said a Ramallah resident.
Palestinians and IDF officers at iftar dinner after Ramadan fast
One of the main issues weakening purchasing power is the fact that public sector officials in the Palestinian Authority have been receiving only 80 percent of their salaries for the past year and a half. "My wife, for example, who works as a clerk, earns 3000,2500 shekels a month. So buying a lamb for <> NIS is very difficult. Even cigarettes have become more expensive. The fuel also, everything went up. And Ramallah is more expensive than other parts of the West Bank," he says.
The economic distress is also related to a decline in the scope of economic aid from donor countries, trends happening around the world, and from the deduction of tax revenues carried out by Israel.
Residents say that the security escalation in Judea and Samaria affects preparations for the holiday, and that the existing tension has caused them to reduce their movements. "It's not just fear of settler violence. It's also a fear of military activity such as roadblocks, inspections and even actions by Palestinians – everything together creates a mess, and people prefer to stay away from it all and not drive long distances on the roads," says a Huwara resident. "There's no holiday atmosphere, the markets are dormant, the situation is on its face," says Mazen, a resident of one of the villages south of Nablus.
The public sector in the Palestinian Authority has been receiving only 80 percent of their salaries for the past year and a half. Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, photo: GettyImages
"In the northern West Bank, demand for sheep this year is weak. People buy in smaller quantities. There are a lot of expenses during this period and prefer to give up. I think maybe 10 percent slaughter, the rest find alternatives," Mohammed said.
"Investors are fleeing Jenin, and those who thought, for example, two and three years ago to invest, will no longer do so now. The right-wing government in Israel and what it is doing – it also scares away investors, I hear it from businessmen here. And the uncertainty that exists doesn't help us," he added.
In the central and southern parts, according to residents of Hebron, the pressure typical of Jenin and northern Judea and Samaria is less noticeable. "There is less damage here than in other cities, but still, a family of four who invites their extended family to holiday meals and wants to slaughter needs NIS 5000,6000-<>,<> to spend the entire holiday. The people are victims of corruption in the Palestinian Authority, all because of the wrong policies of the leadership," said Amjad, a resident of the city.
"The people are victims of corruption in the Palestinian Authority, all because of the wrong policies of the leadership."
In Gaza, this is the first holiday marked since the end of the last operation in the Gaza Strip, "Shield and Arrow". In Judea and Samaria, this is the second Eid al-Adha holiday since the outbreak of the wave of terrorism in March 2022. This past week, Hamas leaders went to Mecca to observe the Hajj. A few days later, photos were published of Palestinian Rahm Muhammad Shtayyeh also making a pilgrimage to the Kaaba to observe the Hajj.
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