For many Palestinians, the holy month of Ramadan is being observed amid hunger, displacement and uncertainty. Families are relying on humanitarian aid to uphold faith and dignity, even as violence, poverty and restrictions shape daily life.
The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin on February 18 or 19, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon.
During the 29 or 30-day month, Muslims observing the fast abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset, typically for 12 to 15 hours, depending on their location.
Zahra Abdel Raouf, a mother and grandmother in Gaza City, recalls the days before war when her large family gathered for iftar, the evening meal that breaks the fast.
“Every year we were together. All my children around me,” she said, “the kids were happy for Ramadan. Not like now.”
After the 2023 conflict, Abdel Raouf’s home was destroyed in bombing. Her family was forced to flee first to schools, then to southern Gaza and eventually to central Wadi Gaza, where they lived in makeshift shelters of wood and nylon sheets. Water had to be carried from afar, food was scarce and work had stopped.
“It is survival with whatever we can afford,” she said.
Today, a nearby World Food Programme-supported hot meals kitchen provides rice, peas, carrots and bulgur wheat directly to her family’s tent. “Thank God, the kitchen saves us,” Abdel Raouf said.
Bread is often insufficient for a family of nine and her children still yearn for meat, but aid allows them to mark the holy month with basic sustenance.
Despite ongoing hardships, Ramadan traditions persist. Palestinians in Gaza have crafted decorations and lanterns from recycled materials, including soda cans, in a bid to preserve the holiday spirit.
Sameh al-Bitar, a spice shop owner in Gaza City, described the scene in the once-bustling Zawiya market.
“We used to decorate our homes, streets and markets. Now everything in Gaza is sad.”
Al-Bitar lost two sons in an airstrike and said this year’s Ramadan will focus on basic religious observance rather than family gatherings and communal iftars.
Since the October 2025 ceasefire, Gaza has seen continued violence. Health authorities report 603 Palestinians killed and 1,618 wounded since 10 October, 2025, with a total toll since 2023 exceeding 72,000 deaths and 171,000 injuries.
Residents across Gaza describe a Ramadan marked by restricted movement, heavy security and ongoing hardship, yet families continue to find ways to observe the holy month and maintain faith amid adversity.
Musician D4vd has been charged with first-degree murder over the death of a teenage girl whose dismembered remains were found inside a car lin...
Iran accuses the United States of breaching a ceasefire after a commercial ship was seized in the Gulf of Oman, vowing retaliation, as Israel warns...
Hungarian election winner Péter ...
President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met a senior NATO envoy in Yerevan to discuss expanding cooperation the presidential off...
Residents displaced by Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades have begun returning to their damaged homes, hoping to recover belongings that s...
Musician D4vd has been charged with first-degree murder over the death of a teenage girl whose dismembered remains were found inside a car linked to him, prosecutors in Los Angeles County have said.
Iran accuses the United States of breaching a ceasefire after a commercial ship was seized in the Gulf of Oman, vowing retaliation, as Israel warns south Lebanon residents to avoid restricted areas.
President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met a senior NATO envoy in Yerevan to discuss expanding cooperation the presidential office said.
Residents displaced by Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades have begun returning to their damaged homes, hoping to recover belongings that survived the blaze.
Dozens of Chinese-made humanoid robots have demonstrated improvements in speed, balance and autonomous navigation after completing a half-marathon in Beijing on Sunday (19 April), in a showcase of the country’s fast-developing robotics sector.
The U.S. Navy has forcibly intercepted and boarded the Iranian cargo ship TOUSKA in the Gulf of Oman after it attempted to breach the ongoing naval blockade. President Trump confirmed that the vessel was neutralised and seized by Marines following a direct strike on its engine room.
Iran accuses the United States of breaching a ceasefire after a commercial ship was seized in the Gulf of Oman, vowing retaliation, as Israel warns south Lebanon residents to avoid restricted areas.
Progessive Bulgaria, led by pro-Russian Eurosceptic Rumen Radev is on track to form Bulgaria’s next government, after official results showed a runaway victory for the coalition in the Balkan nation's parliamentary elections on Monday (20 April).
Secretly filmed footage from two UK laboratories has reignited debate over animal testing in drug development, after a former worker alleged that monkeys, dogs and other animals endured prolonged distress during safety trials for new medicines.
President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan met a senior NATO envoy in Yerevan to discuss expanding cooperation the presidential office said.
Kyrgyzstan plans to expand its nationwide video surveillance system, with up to 20,000 cameras set to be installed, President Sadyr Zhaparov has announced.
Turkish authorities are mulling new measures to protect children from dangerous online content after the country was shaken last week by two separate school shootings.
Five Central Asian states are launching a $30 million programme to tackle water scarcity and land degradation, as climate pressures and rising demand sharpen risks across the region.
Georgia has been named among a growing number of states accused of targeting critics beyond their borders, according to a new report by Freedom House. The finding raises questions about the country’s recent political trajectory and international standing.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment