EID is an Arabic word that means “festival” or “feast”. Muslim children celebrated Eid at the end of the holy month of Ramadan. They offered Eid prayers with their families, wore new clothes, enjoyed special Eid delicacies, visited relatives and friends, received gifts but alas the children of Gaza and Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) had none of those privileges. After the October 7, 2023 deadly raid by Hamas on Israeli positions, which took a toll of 1400 lives, Israel has battered Gaza with deadly raids from the air, land and sea, taking a toll of more than 34,000 lives and causing injuries to over 85,000 residents of Gaza. The children are among the worst hit. They watch deafening explosions, death and destruction and wonder amidst this chaos and mayhem whether they will lose their parents or a sibling next.
The holy month of Ramadan was a nightmare for them. While Muslims elsewhere fasted and prayed in the sanctuary of their homes or mosques, the children of Gaza were struggling to survive. Every year when the sun sets during Ramadan, Muslims break their fast with a date – just as the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) did. But this Ramadan in Gaza, where lack of food is forcing families to eat leaves and animal food to survive, there were no dates to break the fast. Date harvesting, along with other food production, has been completely decimated. And as part of their restrictions on aid crossing into the Strip, Israeli authorities reportedly classified dates as “dual-use” items–-which they say could be repurposed for military use—and rejected, due to x-ray imaging picking up their seeds as suspicious objects. Of course, dates are not the only food Palestinians in Gaza lacked this holy month. After six months of war leading to extensive destruction of food production and the obstruction of aid delivery, there is barely any food at all.
The children of Gaza faced immense hardship during Eid-ul-Fitr in 2024. Instead of celebrating joyously like children in other parts of the world, they grappled with the devastating consequences of conflict and deprivation. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported that more children had been killed in Gaza in recent months than in four years of conflict worldwide. At least 12,900 youngsters lost their lives in the Enclave during the last four months, compared to 12,193 globally between 2019 and 2022. In the face of such adversity, the children of Gaza demonstrated resilience and courage, but their suffering remains a tragic reality. Everyone in Gaza is now at risk of famine and facing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse. Six months of constant bombardment and restrictions have created the conditions for an exponential rise in malnutrition, with extremely limited access to food and water.
The children of IOK also faced immense challenges and hardships, but for decades, Kashmiri children have grown up amidst violence. The region has been a subject of dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947. The heavy military occupation by India and wars have taken a toll on the lives of children, who bear the brunt of the unresolved conflict. Girls and boys alike have been affected, with many facing trauma, loss and insecurity. In August 2019, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi revoked Indian Constitution’s Article 370 which granted Kashmir a special status and relative autonomy, amalgamating IOK and Ladakh into the Indian Territory. Resultantly, the entire region has been in a state of lockdown, fearing retaliation by Kashmiris. The internet and communications blackout in IOK further isolates the region, making it difficult for Kashmiris to communicate their plight to the world.
Kashmiri children have witnessed violence and experienced disruptions in education and daily life. Indian security forces have detained hundreds of children between the ages of 9 and 17, on national security-related charges. Boys have been abducted during midnight raids and girls and women have faced molestation during nighttime operations, where rape is used as a weapon of war. The scars of this deadly conflict persist, affecting the mental and emotional well-being of Kashmiri children.
Despite these challenges, Kashmiri children continue to display resilience and hope. On Eid, like children everywhere, they sought moments of joy and connection, even amidst adversity. On Eid day in IOK, the situation was complex and challenging for worshippers. The Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, a significant religious site, remains locked on Fridays, which is the main day of worship in Islam as well as on Eid day. Indian authorities view the Jamia Masjid as a trouble spot and a nerve centre for anti-India protests and clashes that challenge New Delhi’s sovereignty over disputed Kashmir. Despite this, for the local community, the mosque represents their unwavering faith and their struggle for rights in a region marked by turmoil and conflict.
The closure of the mosques reflected the complex interplay of religious freedom, political tension and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. Among the major challenges faced by the children of IOK is that over 3,600 children have been blinded permanently because Indian Security forces targeted their faces, used pellet guns. Let us hope for peace and stability in the region, allowing these young lives to flourish and dream of a better future. The children of Gaza and India-occupied Kashmir question in the words of Faiz: If humanity were to vanish, would you still seek justice? If you are truly just (oh God), why not raise the Day of Judgment now?
—The writer is a Retired Group Captain of PAF, who has written several books on China.
Email: sultanm.hali@gmail.com
