The Ramadan crescent moon was sighted in Gaza on Friday evening meaning the holy month officially begins on Saturday 2/4/2022. Upon greeting the announcement the Gazans created Ramadan atmosphere in the streets shops and homes.
Markets became instantly full of people rushing to get ready for thirty days of fasting sharing iftar with family and friends enjoying sweets like qatayif and drinks like tamarind after iftar. Kids sang in harmony played with fireworks and hung colored Ramadan lanterns as a welcome joy for the holy month. Meanwhile adults gathered and visited each other bearing gifts to their families and friends. Even people who usually get in fights asked for forgiveness on the night of Ramadan whether by sending written texts or by paying brief visits.
Bereaved Families
During Ramadan one year ago Israel launched a massive military assault on Gaza that lasted for 11 days and claimed more than 253 Palestinian lives including 66 minors 39 women and 17 elderly in addition to 1984 injuries. In the month of worship and forgiveness Muslim Gazans were not allowed to pray Taraweeh at mosques gather for ceremonies or read the holy Quran together as Israel’s 11-day assault was bombing insanely everywhere.
The Israeli occupation’s continuous assaults including the latest one wiped out entire families in Gaza and bereaved hundreds of children mothers and families. This Ramadan many Gazan families are welcoming the holy month with great loss of homes and family members.
“I lost 22 members of my family in May 2021 as the IOF killed my mother Amal my sister Hanaa my brothers Ahmad and Taher and my cousins and many other relatives I can’t name because it will increase my pain on recalling these memories” Zainab Al-Qolaq said in her talk with the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor one week before the start of Ramadan.
“Last Ramadan I was blessed with my dad’s passionate embrace. Israeli soldiers killed my dad on the last day of Ramadan. A new Ramadan comes and I lost his embrace for no reason” Saja Al-Zebda posted on her Facebook account on the first night of Ramadan.
