Left: Hassan Abu al-Nil, center right, at the funeral for his son Omar Abu
al-Nil, who d ied after being wounded by the Israeli army during a p rotest
at the borde r. Ibrahim Fayyad, 22, inside his airstrike-damaged home.
Back in Gaza City, families come every night to Union
Soldier Park to eat, shop and play. Children and their
parents were awaiting their turn to pay for a ride on an
electric bike decorated with LED lights. In another part of
town, not too far away, the bazaar and the markets were
filled ahead of the weekend.
The beach in Gaza City is the most popular destination
for locals, particularly because the Israeli government,
which occupies the territory, generally does not allow them
to leave Gaza. Families picnicked in the late afternoon and
then stayed to watch their kids swim until after sunset. One
of the local traditions when someone gets married is to
parade down the middle of a beachfront road so the groom
can dance with relatives and friends.
Amid the activities, I noticed that many people were not
wearing face coverings, and I learned that the coronavirus
vaccination rate is low. The health department started
placing posters around the city to urge vaccination and set
up a weekly lottery to award money to those who get
immunized.
I also attended the funeral of a boy named Omar Abu
al-Nil, who was wounded by the Israeli army — probably by
a bullet — during one of the frequent protests at the border.
He later died at the hospital from his wounds. More than
100 people attended, mainly men. They carried Omar to the
cemetery and buried him as his father watched.Salwan Georges is a Washington Post staff photographer.32 NOVEMBER 28, 2021 THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE 33