'No happiness this year': Gaza's displaced families mark Ramadan in Mawasi tents
Despite a shaky US-brokered ceasefire, Gaza's residents have struggled with soaring food prices and grief of losing thousands in the genocide.
A displaced Palestinian father has recalled the joy of Ramadan before the Israeli genocide upended his life, saying this year’s holy month has begun without the happiness his family once knew.
Waleed al Zamli, a father of 11 now living in a tent in Mawasi after fleeing Israel’s military offensive, said the first day of Ramadan once meant lanterns for children, sweets and special dishes.
"Before the war, we would greet it with happiness," he said.
"This year, there’s no happiness."
Al Zamli said he lost his job after the shop where he worked was destroyed. For the first iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal, his wife collected food from a charity kitchen on Wednesday, adding soup to feed the family.
"It saddens and pains me that I am unable to provide for my family," he said.
Ramadan has arrived in Gaza under a fragile ceasefire deal, but many Palestinians say the festive spirit typically associated with the month is absent as they grapple with hardship, displacement and grief.
At a nearby charity kitchen, dozens gathered with empty pots, stretching out their arms in the hope of securing food.
Children, women and elderly people waited in crowded conditions.
During Ramadan, observant Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, marking the month with increased worship, reflection and charity.
In normal times, families gather to break their fast together and share suhoor, the pre-dawn meal.
In Gaza, however, Israel’s brutal military aggression has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, displaced most residents and caused widespread destruction.
Al Zamli said rising food prices and limited aid have made it difficult to provide even basic meals.
Meat and poultry are far more expensive than before the war, he added.
"The children want to feel happy like other people’s children, to get dressed and to eat something clean and special," he said.
Despite the hardship, some families have tried to revive small signs of celebration.
In the displacement camp, children fashioned empty cans into makeshift Ramadan lanterns and hung decorations among the ruins.
Al Zamli said he will pray "for the bloodshed to end … and to feel security, safety and tranquility" and "to be able to provide good food and clothes for our children."