GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Hamas usually celebrates its anniversary on Dec. 14, marking its founding on that date in 1987. This year, however, the Islamic Resistance Movement decided to cancel its 26th anniversary festivities.

Ashraf Abu Zayed, head of the Hamas public action department, said in a statement to local news agencies on Nov. 29 that Hamas replaced the central festival — scheduled for Dec. 14 —  with other small-scale activities in all governorates of the Gaza Strip, given the tight blockade.

In the same context, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Al-Monitor on the phone: “Hamas’ decision to call off the annual celebration comes in recognition of the circumstances and the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip under the blockade. It is also motivated by the movement’s desire to harness all resources that were to be used for the event in a way that is more useful to the people.

“The amount estimated to be used for the celebration was humble, yet committees were set to operate as channels for the distribution of this amount in the form of aid to alleviate the suffering of the people.”