Gaza marks yet another Ramadan amid struggles, displacement camps
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Gaza is entering its third Ramadan since October 2023, with the holy month marked by displacement and hardship.
- Tents have replaced homes, and traditional Ramadan symbols, lanterns, decorations, large family gatherings—are largely absent.
As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, the streets and camps of Gaza reflect a stark departure from tradition.
Tents have replaced homes, and the familiar sights of the season, lanterns, decorations, and large family gatherings, are largely absent.
Life in Displacement Camps
Across Gaza’s central and southern camps, makeshift shelters have become the new reality. Families live without electricity, refrigerators, or the space to prepare traditional iftar meals each evening. Yet parents struggle to maintain spiritual routines, gathering on blankets under the open sky to share whatever food they can find.
Despite these harsh conditions, children adapt in small ways. Journalists report seeing them play with improvised toys and speak of fasting, prayer, and family memories, clinging to fragments of normalcy amid chaos.
Displacement and Loss
The United Nations estimates that over one million Palestinians remain internally displaced in Gaza following months of attacks that destroyed much of the enclave. Nearly half of those displaced are children, many of whom have lost parents or close relatives.
Aid organizations warn that humanitarian deliveries remain insufficient. Food insecurity is widespread, and malnutrition is severe among children under five, according to UNICEF. For many families, the start of Ramadan is marked not by celebration but by grief and uncertainty.
Aid Shortfalls Amid Continuing Violence
While a fragile ceasefire has reduced large-scale fighting, 'Israeli' strikes and shelling persist. Humanitarian agencies stress that the lack of adequate aid deepens hunger, suffering, and psychological stress during the fasting month.
A Plea for Aid and a Hope for the Future
Humanitarian agencies continue to call for expanded access, sustained food assistance, trauma care, and reconstruction. For Gaza’s children, Ramadan is not only a test of faith but a struggle for survival. Families pray that future holy months will bring rebuilt homes and a return to a normal life long denied.
