GAZA, (PIC)
Gaza, known throughout history as an oasis of generosity and hospitality for all those who find themselves in its lands, eagerly awaits the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan each year, despite the tragic circumstances left by the Israeli aggression for over five hundred days.
The people of Gaza have found no alternative but to welcome the holy month with joy, happiness, and delight, showcasing Gaza in all its beauty by decorating its destroyed walls and cleaning its streets filled with rubble and remnants of destruction. The determination and initiatives taken by the people of the Strip revealed the immense joy that enveloped the enclave following the announcement that Saturday would be the first day of the fasting month.
The municipalities of Gaza, in collaboration with local communities, launched the initiative “Gaza is more beautiful with our hands” as an expression of happiness and joy for the arrival of the holy month. The markets filled with Ramadan decorations that the people of Gaza eagerly purchased to bring joy to the nights of Ramadan, despite the financial hardships and difficult living conditions.
Calls for solidarity, compassion, and mutual support among the residents of the Strip during the days of the holy month prevailed, alongside cooperation with relevant authorities to facilitate daily life in Gaza for everyone.
The “Gaza is more beautiful with our hands” initiative
The municipality of Gaza launched a voluntary initiative to clean Omar Mukhtar Street, which houses one of the city’s most prominent markets, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and community participation. The municipality said that the “Gaza is more beautiful with our hands” campaign was launched on Friday in preparation for welcoming the month of Ramadan and to enhance local community participation in alleviating the disaster the city faces after the genocidal war.
The mayor, Yahya Al-Saraj, said, “This initiative confirms that Gaza will always be beautiful and clean thanks to its people, and that the Palestinian people are capable of reconstruction and building, proving that they are a living people attached to their land and their love for their homeland and city.” He added, “The city welcomes the month of Ramadan under difficult circumstances due to the aggression, yet we will continue to stand by our people in providing essential services and reinforcing the resilience of its inhabitants in their attachment to their beloved city.”
Gaza is more beautiful during Ramadan
For its part, the Rafah municipality, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, launched the “Gaza is more beautiful during Ramadan” campaign on Friday morning, with wide participation from cleaning teams, neighborhood committees, youth councils, and volunteers from various community sectors. This campaign is part of the preparations for welcoming the blessed month of Ramadan, aimed at enhancing the health and aesthetic environment of the city.
The campaign included street cleaning, removing rubble and waste, filling potholes, painting murals, and hanging Ramadan decorations, reflecting the spirit of resilience and hope in Rafah despite the challenges the city faces.
The Director of the Health and Environment Department at Rafah Municipality, Mohannad Muammar, emphasized that this campaign comes in light of the difficult circumstances in the Gaza Strip, stressing that the municipality aims to convey “a message of hope and organization that reflects the will to live in Gaza,” especially with the approaching holy month of Ramadan. Muammar added, “We want Rafah to be a model of resilience and challenge, showing the world that our city does not break but rises again through the efforts of its people and lovers. Everyone’s efforts today, no matter how small, make a significant difference and contribute to improving the surrounding environment and enhancing the culture of social responsibility.”
A call for solidarity and compassion
The Ministry of Interior in the Gaza Strip called on the residents of the coastal enclave to unite and show compassion during Ramadan to overcome the difficult circumstances created by the unjust Israeli war machine in Gaza. The Ministry congratulated the residents of the Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian people, on the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan.
The Ministry urged citizens to cooperate with the procedures of police and security forces, as this would create a better atmosphere during Ramadan and help eliminate negative phenomena and problems resulting from the long months of war.
The people of Gaza were delighted to gather for Tarawih prayers on the first night of the holy month in Gaza’s mosques, despite the destruction they suffered during the Israeli aggression. They also expressed their happiness with the sessions of chanting and prophetic praises that the people of Gaza are accustomed to during the blessed month.
Saturday is the first day of the holy month
The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories, Head of the Supreme Fatwa Council, Muhammad Hussein, announced on Friday evening that Saturday is the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan. The Mufti stated in a message that during the meeting held at Al-Aqsa Mosque to observe the crescent of Ramadan, attended by a group of religious scholars and official and popular figures, and in consultation with astronomers’ estimates from inside and outside Palestine regarding the crescent’s visibility, the sighting of the Ramadan crescent was confirmed. Thus Saturday, March 1, 2025, will be the first day of Ramadan this year, 1446 in the Hijri calendar.
