Gaza couple celebrates wartime wedding

A meaningful event was held in Rafah, a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip, on Friday (local time). Mustafa Shamrak (age 26) and Afnan Jibril (age 17), refugees who fled from the North to escape the war, tied the knot at an abandoned school. “We are people who love life even in the face of death, murder, and destruction,” said Afnan’s father.

According to AFP, Rafah is also in severe danger of getting bombed by Israel every day. Still, Afnan appeared in a white wedding dress, a wreath on her head, and was congratulated by friends and family. The couple danced together while the guests sprayed white mousse.

The families of the groom and bride are from northern Gaza and escaped to Rafah after the war started. Both families intended to return to their hometown to host the wedding but decided that waiting amid the prolonged war was of no use.

Though it was a merry day, it was not without struggles. “It was difficult to prepare items for the wedding,” the bride’s father said. “We barely managed to get dress suits at expensive prices." The couple’s home in the north, where the newlyweds were planning to live, was destroyed in an airstrike,” said Ayman Shamrak, the groom’s uncle.

According to the Gaza Strip's Ministry of Health, the number of Palestinians who lost their lives in Israeli attacks has so far reached over 23,000, most women and children. “Nine million people, or 80% of the population of the Gaza Strip, have become refugees,” the United Nations estimated. Despite the arrival of relief supplies, it is not enough to help the people of Gaza, leaving many at risk of starving. To make matters worse, the medical system has also collapsed, leading to the spread of infectious diseases.

After the wedding, the couple moved to another couple’s wedding party, which was held in a different tent. “Surrounded by guests and hopping on the SUV, the couple appeared just like any other couple from a peaceful wedding,” reported the AFP.


purple@donga.com