GAZA, (PIC)
At a time when Israel thought that its relentless aggression for over 250 days could make the Gaza Strip unlivable and force its people to flee and despair of the possibility of staying, images and scenes emerge that tell Israel “may you die in your rage.” But this time, it is through a mass wedding of forty brides and grooms, in the northern Gaza governorate of Jabalia, which has endured its share of destruction from the Israeli war machine. Smiles are etched despite the ruin, ululations resound disregarding the sound of bombardment and artillery, and the will to live and cling to the land that the Gazans have carved in the finest images of steadfastness, heroism, entrenchment and rigidity in positions, and the seizure of rights, foremost of which is the right to life and the right to celebrate despite everything.
A celebration where the people of Jabalia come together to convey a new message filled with life and determination, and to hold a celebration with the taste of victory over an enemy that continues to wage aggression, killing and destruction, but remains unable to achieve any of the goals it has sought since last October 7th, only to find a new image of Gaza’s Strip’s victory over its war machine and an epic steadfastness that has baffled the world, in a tableau of a mass wedding, the first of its kind in northern Gaza and the steadfast, defiant Jabalia camp.
In this context, Moufid Sarhan, a social expert and director of a charity association, said that this celebration in these circumstances, amid the ongoing war of extermination in the Gaza Strip, is a message of defiance to the enemy that it could not defeat the will to live in Gaza.
Sarhan said in statements to the Palestinian Information Center, “This mass wedding ceremony carries multiple meanings, the first of which is that the people of Gaza, as they love martyrdom and sacrifice in defense of the homeland, they also love a dignified life and they strive for it in the most difficult circumstances, and they work to defy the occupation and ensure the continuity of life.”
Sarhan stressed that the message of marriage means that the family has a special place and a major role in upbringing, preparation and steadfastness.
He pointed out that holding the wedding celebration is a message of defiance to the occupation, as the people of Gaza belong to a living nation rooted in history that the Zionist enemy and its agents cannot defeat. The atrocities of the occupation will not affect the determination and morale of the children, women, elders and youth of Gaza, apart from the resistance that records the most magnificent heroics as it confronts one of the strongest armies in the world in terms of material armament, supported by major powers with weapons, expertise and money.
The social expert emphasized that the collective celebration means that the spirit of cooperation and solidarity is a symbol of strength in all circumstances.
Regarding the provision of care and support for this celebration, which came from Jordanian companies, tribes and supporting entities, Sarhan said that the Jordanians have always been with Gaza and its people through material support, providing aid and treating the wounded in field hospitals.
He added that the tribes in Jordan and Jordanian families are fulfilling their duty and carrying out their message, standing by the people and their brothers in the Gaza Strip, and they are excelling in the means of support and assistance, noting at the same time that the model of the collective wedding contributes to spreading joy in the hearts of the newlyweds, their families and the people of Gaza, and confirms that the Jordanians are partners in prosperity and adversity.
Sarhan pointed out that when the celebration is during the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, it indicates the keenness of the contributors to support the celebration to make the most of these virtuous days, especially when we remember the saying of the Prophet, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, “The greatest deeds to God Almighty is to bring joy to the heart of a Muslim.”
Widespread praise on social media
Social media platforms witnessed widespread praise for the collective wedding ceremony and its deep connotations representing the spirit of steadfastness and defiance embodied by the people of Gaza.
Social media activists emphasized that the “collective wedding in Gaza in itself represents a defeat for the Zionist enemy, as it is still unable to rob the joy, smiles and atmosphere of celebration from the people of Gaza despite the widespread destruction in the Strip and tens of thousands of martyrs, wounded and missing.”
They pointed out that Gaza people are clinging to life as much as they can, stressing that what has been destroyed can be rebuilt, and the steadfast family in Gaza, despite all the circumstances of war, will remain steadfast despite the aggression.
