In Gaza, as Ramadan begins, many families are forced to rely on coupons for food instead of enjoying the traditional communal meals due to the devastation caused by war and food shortages.
As Ramadan commences, the festive spirit that once accompanied this holy month for Palestinians in Gaza is noticeably absent. For the third consecutive year, the month traditionally associated with decorating homes, baking sweets, and gathering families around abundant tables now bears the weight of continued war, destruction, and severe shortages in food and aid. Many families are beginning this Ramadan in makeshift tents after their homes were reduced to rubble, painting a stark picture of crisis and despair.
Correspondent Ghazi Aloul from Deir al-Balah reports that thousands of Palestinian families are spending Ramadan this year displaced in tents lacking even the most basic necessities of life. Widespread destruction has enveloped most cities and neighborhoods, forcing families to seek refuge in camps that are often cut off from vital aid distributions. Aloul emphasizes that many do not receive regular assistance, particularly in marginalized camps located far from distribution centers, highlighting a growing humanitarian crisis.
The story of the Abu Fadl Junid family, who fled from northern Gaza to Deir al-Balah and now reside in a tent devoid of necessary supplies, exemplifies the plight faced by many. The family has faced unimaginable loss, having lost two sons—one who died in an Israeli prison and the other in a bombing. They have been unable to even bury their loved ones, underscoring the deep trauma and hardship endured by thousands of families in Gaza this Ramadan, where the promise of joy has been replaced by struggle and grief.
