Palestinians Perform Eid Prayers İn Embattled Gaza

Thousands of Palestinians in the embattled Gaza Strip showed up early Monday to perform the Eid al-Fitr prayers in defiance of an ongoing Israeli onslaught against the blockaded enclave.



Worshippers flocked to the strip's mosques for the special prayers, which started 6: 25am local time (3: 25 am GMT), marking the start of the Islamic holiday.



However, many Palestinians living near the border areas where Israeli troops took positions could not perform the prayers over fears of fresh Israeli attacks.



The Israeli army reportedly shelled eastern Gaza City during the prayers, but no casualties were reported.



Children were noticeably absent from the scene as their parents opted not to take their sons and daughters to the mosques for the prayers.



Prayers were also confined mainly to mosques as organizers did not have the chance to prepare open areas that used to accommodate thousands of worshippers who usually gather to perform the Eid prayers and celebrate the start of the feast.



The Palestinian authorities said that around 70 mosques were not open for the prayers because they were damaged in the ongoing Israeli military offensive.



In their sermons, the Palestinian clerics urged their fellow countrymen to show patience and support for the resistance and pray for victory and those fallen during the Israeli attacks.



Israel has been pounding the Gaza Strip - which has been reeling under a crippling Israeli blockade since 2006 - from air, ground and sea since July 7, leaving 1035 dead and 6233 injured and destroying hundreds of homes.



Israel claims that the military offensive aims at undermining the ability of Gaza's resistance movements to launch rocket attacks.



By Mustafa Haboosh



englishnews@aa.com.tr



www.aa.com.tr/en - Gazze