Amid the rubble, 250 Palestinian couples marry in a mass wedding in Gaza
Israeli attacks have reduced homes to rubble. Carrying the pain of losing loved ones and the uncertainty of displaced life, Palestinians still dream of a new life. Amid such circumstances, 250 Palestinian couples have married in a colourful ceremony beside the rubble of destroyed buildings and the tents of displaced people in Gaza.
The mass wedding, organised with the support of the United Arab Emirates, has been named 'Dress of Joy-3'. According to the Anadolu Agency, the ceremony was held on Friday at the Sea Club on the coast of Gaza City, with 250 grooms and 250 brides taking part.
Dozens of cars decorated with Palestinian flags, flowers and red ribbons took part in the wedding procession, which travelled along the coastal road past the rubble of destroyed buildings and the tents of displaced people to reach the venue.
The grooms wore wedding attire, while the brides wore white dresses with traditional colourful Palestinian designs, golden head ornaments, flower bouquets and traditionally embroidered coverings.
The event was organised by the UAE's 'Al-Faris Al-Shahm-3 Operation Support Committee' with the support of the Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation. The aim of the initiative is to help young people in Gaza for whom marriage has become difficult because of the harsh living conditions.
Saeed Al-Najjar, one of the grooms, said Israeli bombing had destroyed his family home. He now lives in a tent near the Yellow Line in the Jabalia refugee camp.
He got the chance to take part in the wedding after being selected in a lottery run by the organising committee. He told Anadolu, 'This joy is not just of one groom or 250 grooms, it is the joy of all the people of Gaza.'
He said many Palestinians had lost their homes in Israeli attacks and been forced to live in tents, and he himself has nowhere else to take shelter.
Another groom, Munir Al-Tatari, lost his mother and many family members during the war, and their house was also destroyed in an Israeli attack.
He had a strong wish to have his mother beside him on this special day of his life, but that wish was not fulfilled. He took part in the ceremony carrying the pain of his mother's absence. Munir said, 'Amid the blockade and war in Gaza, we will celebrate joy and hope will return to our hearts.'
Mohammad Kuwaidi, another groom, faces a big challenge in starting a new family. After losing his home in an Israeli attack, he has no means to rent or buy a new one, so he will have to live in a tent with his wife after the wedding.
Kuwaidi said rising prices and the cost of living in Gaza have made marriage even harder for young Palestinians. Asked where he would live with his wife after the wedding, he said, 'We will live in a tent.'
According to the organising committee, 11,622 people applied to take part in the 'Dress of Joy-3' mass wedding. After registration and verification, 1,335 people got the chance to take part in the final lottery, from which 250 grooms were selected to marry 250 brides.
Mohammad Erbi, president of the UAE's Al-Faris Al-Shahm-3 Operation Support Committee, said the mass wedding of 500 people presents a humane picture of the desire to live on amid years of war and suffering. He said the aim is to inspire hope among Palestinian youth and help them form families.
Since Israel's attacks began in October 2023, more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and more than 175,000 injured. Israeli attacks have extensively destroyed residential areas and displaced hundreds of thousands of people, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the region.
