For many Gazans, the spiritual journey of Hajj, a cornerstone of their faith, has been replaced by the grim realities of life in displacement camps. Najia Abu Lehia, a 64-year-old living in a tent in Khan Younis, is among the many whose dreams of visiting Makkah have been shattered. Despite being selected for the pilgrimage before the conflict began, the ongoing war and the stifling closure of borders have rendered the journey impossible. As she watches footage of pilgrims on her phone, her longing is punctuated by the fear that she may never fulfill this religious obligation, a pain intensified by the recent loss of her husband.

The humanitarian situation is further complicated by severe movement restrictions at the Rafah crossing. While there have been minor openings for medical evacuations, thousands of prospective pilgrims remain trapped within the territory. The Israeli military body overseeing access, COGAT, maintains that current protocols prioritize humanitarian cases, yet the disconnect between these claims and the reality on the ground is stark. Compounding the isolation, Gazans are also facing an Eid al-Adha devoid of traditional animal sacrifices for the third consecutive year. The destruction of local livestock infrastructure and the drastic reduction in imports have left families unable to observe their traditions, further deepening the sense of loss and isolation in a region struggling to survive the ongoing conflict.