GAZA : In a rare celebration of love and hope amid the ongoing war in Gaza, 250 Palestinian couples have tied the knot in a mass wedding ceremony, marking a new beginning despite the hardships and destruction surrounding them.
The event was organised on Friday by Operation Chivalrous Knight, a UAE-backed humanitarian relief initiative, as a gesture of solidarity and an effort to bring moments of happiness to Palestinians living through the conflict, Qatar-based Al Jazeera reported.
A New Beginning Amid Destruction
One of the grooms, Saeed Al-Najjar, said the couples were beginning a new chapter of their lives while continuing to live amid the devastation caused by the war.
“We are living in war-torn conditions. We want to return to our own homes in our own neighbourhoods,” he said, expressing hope for a return to normal life.
Joy Overshadowed by Family Hardships
For some participants, however, the celebration was accompanied by painful reminders of the conflict’s impact on their families.
Bride Tasil Abu Matar said her mother and sisters were present at the ceremony, but her father could not attend because he was in the occupied West Bank, where her grandmother requires a wheelchair to move around.
She added that her brother had been injured in an attack and was still receiving medical treatment.
“Our happiness is incomplete. Nevertheless, I am happy about this achievement,” she said.
Hope for Life Beyond War
The mass wedding offered a rare moment of celebration for 250 couples seeking to begin married life amid uncertainty and displacement. While the ceremony brought joy to many, the absence of family members and the continuing suffering of loved ones underscored the profound human cost of the conflict.
For the newlyweds, the occasion symbolised not only marriage but also hope for a future in which they can rebuild their lives in peace.
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