Thousands of people in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip marked one of Islam's most important holidays Friday, by holding feast prayers on the edge of destroyed mosques and homes.

Men and children of different ages held the early morning prayers in the open air to mark Eid al-Adha, or the "Feast of Sacrifice," which is the Islamic holiday that begins on the 10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Dhul-Hijja, during the Hajj season in Saudi Arabia.

The three-day feast began on Friday and for the second year, Muslims in Gaza were not able to leave for Saudi Arabia to perform the pilgrimage.

Residents in different parts of the strip said the feast this year comes as Palestinians are passing through the worst period in their history.

"This is the worst feast that the Palestinian people have passed through because of the unjust war," said Kamel Emran, from the southern city of Khan Younis.

"There is no food, no flour, no shelter, no mosques, no homes, no mattresses... The conditions are very, very harsh."

The situation has worsened since early March, when Israel blockaded all entrances to the Gaza Strip leaving more than 2 million people deprived of food and water.

The current blockade has lasted longer than any previous Israeli halt in aid to Gaza since the Israel-Hamas war began.

Over the past two weeks, shootings have erupted nearly daily in the Gaza Strip in the vicinity of new hubs where desperate Palestinians are being directed to collect food.

Witnesses say nearby Israeli troops have opened fire.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a newly formed group of mainly American contractors, said Friday that all its distributions centres were closed, and urged people to stay away for their own safety.

It added an announcement will be made later about the times the centres will be active.

Israel wants GHF to replace humanitarian groups in Gaza that distribute aid in coordination with the U.N.

The war between Israel and Hamas erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-linked militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage.

Israel responded with an offensive that has decimated Gaza, displaced nearly all of its 2.3 million people and caused a humanitarian crisis that has left the territory on the brink of famine.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than half of them women and children.

The ministry, which is led by medical professionals but reports to the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.

AP production by Wafaa Shurafa