The 27-year-old Palestinians were among 54 couples who married Tuesday in a mass wedding, a rare moment of hope after two years of devastation and genocide during Israel’s deadliest war on the territory.
"Despite everything that has happened, we will begin a new life," Hikmat Lawwa said. “God willing, this will be the end of the war," he added.
Weddings are a key part of Palestinian culture, but in Gaza, they have become increasingly rare due to the ongoing war.
Under a fragile ceasefire, the tradition is slowly returning, even as Israel continues to violate the truce. The ceremonies, however, are much simpler now, compared to the elaborate celebrations once held across the territory.
Palestinian couple Hikmat Lawwa and Eman Lawwa, center, join other newlyweds in a mass wedding ceremony at Hamad City in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. AP
In the southern city of Khan Younis, crowds waved Palestinian flags as couples celebrated, though the joy was overshadowed by Israel’s blockade and ongoing strikes across Gaza.
Most of Gaza’s two million residents, including Eman and Hikmat, have been displaced by the war. Entire neighborhoods have been flattened, shortages of food and aid have fueled famine and disease, and Israeli attacks continue to disrupt daily life.
Palestinians watch and celebrate a mass wedding ceremony in Hamad City in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. AP
The young couple, who are distant relatives, fled to the nearby town of Deir al-Balah during the war and have struggled to secure basics like food and shelter. They said they don’t know how they will build their lives together amid the devastation.
“We want to be happy like the rest of the world. I used to dream of having a home, a job, and being like everyone else," Hikmat said. “Today, my dream is to find a tent to live in.”
“Life has started to return, but it's not like we hoped it would," he added.
Palestinian couples participate in a mass wedding ceremony in Hamad City in Khan Younis, Gaza Strip. AP
Palestinian couple Hikmat Lawwa and Eman Lawwa, center, join other newlyweds in a mass wedding ceremony at Hamad City in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. AP
The celebration was funded by Al Fares Al Shahim, a humanitarian aid operation backed by the United Arab Emirates. In addition to hosting the event, the organization provided couples with a small sum of money and other supplies to help them start their lives together.
For Palestinians, weddings are often elaborate, days-long celebrations, seen as both an important social and economic milestone that shapes the future for many families. They include joyful dances, street processions by large families dressed in coordinated fabrics, and heaping plates of food.
Weddings can also be a symbol of resilience and a celebration of new generations carrying on Palestinian traditions, said Randa Serhan, a professor of sociology at Barnard College who has studied Palestinian weddings.
“With every new wedding is going to come children and it means that the memories and the lineages are not going to die,” Serhan said. “The couples are going to continue life in an impossible situation.”
Palestinian couples participate in a mass wedding ceremony at Hamad City in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. AP
On Tuesday, a procession of cars carrying the couples drove past stretches of collapsed buildings. Hikmat and Eman waved Palestinian flags alongside the other couples as their families danced to music blaring over the crowds.
Eman, cloaked in her white, red, and green traditional dress, said the wedding offered a small moment of relief after years of suffering, though it was also marked by loss. Her father, mother, and other family members were killed during the war.
"It’s hard to experience joy after such sorrow," she said, tears streaming down her face. “God willing, we will rebuild brick-by-brick.”
*This story was edited by Ahram Online.
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