Photo credit: Times of Israel
Eman Hassan Lawwa was dressed in traditional Palestinian prints, and Hikmat Lawwa wore a suit as they walked hand-in-hand past the crumbled buildings of southern Gaza in a line of other couples dressed similarly.
The 27-year-old Palestinians were among 54 couples to get married on Tuesday in a mass wedding in war-ravaged Gaza that represented a rare moment of hope after two years of devastation, death and conflict.
Hikmat Lawwa said, “Despite everything that has happened, we will begin a new life. God willing, this will be the end of the war.”
Weddings are a key part of Palestinian culture that have become rare in Gaza during the war. The tradition has begun to resume in the wake of a fragile ceasefire, even if the weddings are not as elaborate as those held in the past.
As roaring crowds waved Palestinian flags in the southern city of Khan Younis, the celebrations were dampened by the ongoing crisis across Gaza. Most of Gaza’s two million residents, including Eman and Hikmat Lawwa, have been displaced by the war, entire areas of cities have been flattened, and aid shortages and outbursts in conflict continue to plague the daily lives of people.
The young couple, distant relatives, fled to nearby Deil al-Balah during the war and have struggled to find necessities like food and shelter. They said they don’t know how they would build their lives together, given the situation around them.
Hikmat said, “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. Today, my dream is to find a tent to live in.
“Life has started to return, but it’s not like we hoped it would.”
The celebration was funded by Al Fares Al Shahim, a humanitarian aid operation backed by the United Arab Emirates. In addition, the organization offered the couples a small sum of money and other supplies to start living together.
