- Title: GAZA-MASS WEDDING Gazans tie the knot at mass wedding
- Date: 1st June 2015
- Summary: MEN DANCING TRADITIONAL PALESTINIAN DANCE VARIOUS OF BRIDES WAVING PALESTINIAN AND TURKISH FLAGS MORE OF CROWDS AT STADIUM
- Embargoed: 16th June 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Gaza
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAKK5S0A7K3K93T2WX3I8HFFC6
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A soccer stadium in Gaza was transformed into a wedding venue with hundreds of Palestinian couples taking part in a mass wedding.
Around 2000 people tied the knot on Sunday (May 31) in Gaza city at a ceremony that was funded by Turkey's Religious Affairs Presidency and Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).
Holding up pictures of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and waving Palestinian flags, the newlyweds celebrated their big day.
Alaa Deen Al Batta was involved in running the event, he thanked Turkey for making such a thing possible for young Palestinians.
"Our message is that we are people who love life and want to live. We want for all Palestinians to live freely without a siege. We thank 'TIKA' and Turkey that insisted to bring a smile to our faces, '' he said.
Among those attending the celebrations was Hamas leader in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh.
For many in Gaza the cost of throwing a lavish wedding is near impossible with an Israeli blockade that has crippled the coastal enclave's economic growth and unemployment levels soaring to around 40 percent.
But for those taking part in the event they were thankful for the opportunity to have a reason to celebrate.
''This is a big step, it brought happiness to our people and to the couples who took part here with us. The festival in general was very nice including all of its events with the Islamic songs and participants,'' said newlywed Shaimaa Al Atane.
''Despite the very difficult living situations in Gaza and the high levels of poverty because of the Israeli siege, yet again Gaza renews the message of hope and life which proves to the world that happiness is what gaza hopes for, not blood and war,'' added, Adham Abu Salmiye, a member of the Festival Preparatory Committee.
TIKA, which was established in 1992, carries out work in a number of countries involving work related to infrastructure, health and education projects.
According to local media reports Turkey will build 20 residential buildings in the coastal enclave.
Last year, militants in Gaza launched thousands of rockets and mortar bombs into Israel during a July-August war in which Israeli shelling and air strikes battered the small, coastal Palestinian enclave. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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