Gaza Family Struggles to Celebrate Ramadan Amid Ongoing Hardships

A displaced Palestinian father of 11 describes how war has stripped away the joy and traditions his family once cherished during Ramadan's opening day. Despite a fragile ceasefire, families in Gaza continue facing severe food shortages and economic hardship during what is typically a festive religious observance.

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — The memories of better times weigh heavily on Waleed al Zamli’s mind as he reflects on what Ramadan used to mean for his family. Traditional lanterns brightening his children’s faces. Sweet treats shared among loved ones. Elaborate meals prepared with care.

“We used to welcome this holy month with such joy,” said al Zamli, a father of eleven children now living in the overcrowded Muwasi tent settlement after being forced to abandon their home during Israel’s military campaign.

Those days of celebration feel like a distant memory now, he explained.

The weight of being unable to care for his large family in their current circumstances brings al Zamli deep sorrow. His workplace was demolished during the conflict, leaving him without employment, he explained.

When it came time for Wednesday’s first iftar meal to break the daily fast, al Zamli’s wife collected food from a charitable kitchen that has become their lifeline. She prepared soup as an accompaniment to stretch the donated meal.

“Joy has abandoned us this year,” al Zamli stated.

The holy month of Ramadan has begun in Gaza during a tentative ceasefire agreement, yet Palestinian residents report that the season’s traditional celebratory atmosphere remains absent as they navigate ongoing hardships and mourn losses from the prolonged conflict.

The struggles were evident at the charitable kitchen location, where crowds of people pressed forward with outstretched hands, clutching empty containers in hopes of receiving food. The desperate group included young children, mothers, and senior citizens all competing for assistance.

Throughout Ramadan, practicing Muslims abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset each day. The period emphasizes enhanced prayer, spiritual contemplation, and charitable giving. Under typical conditions, the month creates opportunities for families and communities to gather for celebratory fast-breaking meals.

However, conditions in Gaza remain anything but typical. The Israeli military campaign has resulted in over 72,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, while causing extensive infrastructure damage and forcing most residents from their homes. Israel initiated this offensive following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas-led fighters that killed approximately 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and resulted in 251 individuals being taken hostage.

Al Zamli identifies securing adequate nutrition for his family as his greatest Ramadan challenge. He reports receiving minimal humanitarian assistance. Essential foods including meat and poultry now cost significantly more than before the conflict began, he noted, making many necessities impossible to afford without steady income.

“My children long to experience the same happiness as other kids – to dress nicely and enjoy clean, special food,” he shared.

These economic pressures become particularly intense during Ramadan, al Zamli observed. Normally, families flood marketplaces to purchase food supplies, decorative items, and other seasonal necessities. Food takes on special significance as the daily fasting period transitions into nourishing iftar dinners that can be quite elaborate for some families. Muslims also consume a pre-dawn meal called suhoor to sustain themselves through the fasting hours.

Gaza residents shopping at markets this week expressed frustration over how financial difficulties have dampened the month’s spirit.

Nevertheless, despite these challenges, some Gaza Strip residents have made efforts to recreate elements of traditional Ramadan celebrations – including displaying decorative strings among damaged buildings. At al Zamli’s displacement camp, his children created makeshift Ramadan lanterns using discarded soda cans.

The October 10 ceasefire agreement, facilitated by the United States, aimed to end more than two years of warfare between Israeli forces and Hamas. Although major combat operations have decreased, the ceasefire period has still witnessed near-daily Israeli military action.

Israeli military units have conducted multiple aerial bombardments and regularly opened fire on Palestinians approaching military-controlled areas, resulting in over 600 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza health authorities. The ministry, operating under Hamas governance, keeps comprehensive casualty documentation that United Nations agencies and independent analysts generally consider credible. However, their records do not separate civilian and combatant deaths.

Armed groups have launched attacks against Israeli military personnel, with Israel claiming its strikes respond to these and other ceasefire violations. Four Israeli soldiers have died during this period.

Even with some relief provided by the unstable ceasefire arrangement, numerous daily challenges continue affecting residents.

Al Zamli explained that the war has taken many precious things from his family. A son-in-law was killed shortly after marrying his daughter, who is now a widow, he said.

During this Ramadan season, his prayers focus on ending “the violence and bloodshed” and experiencing “security, peace, and calm,” along with gaining “the ability to provide quality food and clothing for our children.”