Palestinians in Gaza City are preparing for the holy month of Ramadan. The gallery below takes us to Al-Zawiya market, one of the most popular destinations for Gaza shoppers.
The holy month of fasting and prayer for Muslims is estimated to begin this year around Saturday, April 2. Muslims observing Ramadan abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk, before breaking their fast with the ritual evening meal known in Arabic as Iftar.
Last year’s celebrations were marked by increased violence from the Israeli occupation throughout Palestine. Confrontations started in occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem and soon spread across the entire country.
On May 10, which marked the twenty-eighth day of last Ramadan, the Israeli army launched a military offensive on the besieged Gaza Strip, killing over 250 Palestinians, including 66 children, and wounding many more.
During the 11 days of the war, Israeli airstrikes destroyed about 2,200 homes and damaged 37,000 others. According to Reuters, “Gaza officials estimate that it will take $479 million to rebuild homes and infrastructure damaged in the war.”
For Palestinians, despite the hardship of the year, Ramadan is always an opportunity to strengthen their communities, find reasons to celebrate and renew their commitment to their struggle.
(All Photos: Mahmoud Ajjour, The Palestine Chronicle)
