GAZA, Palestine, Aug 10 (NNN-XINHUA) – “It’s the first time ever that I cannot afford anything for sacrifice,” Ibrahim al-Mughrabi said desperately, while looking at the goats in a livestock farm located in Gaza.
The 35-year-old father of three, went to the farm with his friend, who wanted to buy a small calf to mark Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice.
“My six brothers and I used to buy a goat or calf for sacrifice every year, but this year we cannot afford this due to the bad economic situation that we live in now.”
Mughrabi is an employee at the government of Islamic Hamas movement. For over seven years, he has been paid only 40 percent of his salary, hardly enough for his most basic needs.
Despite the high price, Salim Abu Shaban has bought two goats to mark Eid al-Adha.
“There is no feast without sacrifices,” he said. “I know the situation in Gaza is very hard, but we must continue our traditions.”
Shaban put the goats in the garden of his house, letting his little kids play with them, saying, “When we were kids, we were looking forward to this festival. I cannot prevent my children from experiencing such moments.”
Suffering from poverty, Shaban had to sell his wife’s gold, in order to buy the sacrifices, he said.
In a bid to overcome the harsh situation, many Gazans are used to sharing the cost of a cow or a calf.
Meanwhile, livestock sellers have been suffering in the Gaza Strip for the fourth year in a row, from low purchasing power ahead of Eid al-Adha, caused by the high rate of poverty that stops the Gazans from celebrating this festival.
The livestock markets are witnessing low demand despite the decreasing prices, according to merchants.
“Customers come here checking the animals, asking about the prices, then leave without buying,” Abu Ahmed Batniji, the livestock merchant, said.
The bad economic situation forced the merchants to import fewer livestock, to protect themselves from the loss, just like what happened in the past four years.
“But this year is the worst one ever,” Batniji added, saying, he only sold 20 calves and 30 sheep.
Many customers asked him to sell them the goats in installments, but he refused. “It is also hard for me, because I do not have any guarantee in such crisis.”
Along the main road of Salah Aldin, there is a huge livestock farm which belongs to the Afana family. It was crowded with customers, most of them employees with charities, who are used to buying cattle for poor people, said Mohammed Afana, the owner of the farm.
“Even these guys work with internationally-funded organisations, they come here to buy the sacrifices in installment,” Afana said, while negotiating the prices.
The ministry of agriculture in Gaza announced that, more than 12,000 heads of cattle and 30,000 sheep and goats were prepared for Eid al-Adha.
The Gaza Strip imports the livestock from Israel, Egypt, Australia and Romania.
The price of beef per kg ranges between four and five U.S. dollars, while that of sheep and goats between six and eight dollars. A cow or calf weighs 720 kg average, while a sheep weighs around 100 kg, which means total prices could hit 3,600 dollars and 800 dollars, respectively, an awful burden for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, under Israeli blockade imposed since 2007.– NNN-XINHUA
