(14 Oct 2013) Gazans complained about high meat prices on Monday as Muslims around the world headed to markets and butcher shops in preparation for the festival of Eid al-Adha.
The holiday, which translates as Festival of the Sacrifice, marks what Muslims believe is Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his own son as an act of obedience to God.
At the last minute, God intervened, and gave Ibrahim a ram to sacrifice instead.
Traditionally, Muslims sacrifice an animal at Eid and share the meat with their families, neighbours, and people less fortunate than themselves.
For many years, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip bought livestock that had been smuggled through tunnels from Egypt.
Since last summer Egypt's military has tried to destroy or seal off most of the tunnels as a consequence of the heightened tensions between Cairo and the Hamas government in Gaza.
Sheep dealer Jaber Hourani said that has had a detrimental impact on his sales.
"Last year the situation was much better," he said, "it's not the same sales atmosphere this year. The situation of the people is not the same as last year."
One cattle trader said that the price of a kilogram of lamb rose from 4.94 US dollars to 7 US dollars and the cost of beef from 4.80 US dollars to 5 US dollars because he cannot source the meat from Egypt anymore.
Abu Ahmad Al-Shawa was looking to buy cattle and said that everyone is complaining about the prices this year.
"The merchant and the buyer complain because the people's economic situation is very bad," he said.
It is not only in Gaza where external forces are affecting the availability of livestock.
In Mali, Sagaidou Cisse was looking to buy a sheep in Timbuktu.
"The jihadists have stopped the sheep sellers from accessing Timbuktu. I wasnt here last year, but I heard there was a lot of sheep available then," he said.
An elected government is trying to rebuild Mali after a separatist rebellion began in early 2012, but there have still been clashes between government soldiers and Tuareg rebels.
The open air sheep and goat market in Timbuktu was a far cry from the streets of Paris where French Muslims were heading to halal butchers to purchase their Eid foods.
"Usually our costumers are buying different types of meats but today they are especially buying lambs and mutton," said butcher Sliman Abtout.
Two of his customers, Majid Hendel and Nacer Tabiche said Eid al-Adha is a day for families to all come together.
"This is reasons we want to wish to all Muslims populations around the world a happy festival of Eid," said Tabiche.

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