Ramadan taking place among the ruins and under the rain of arrows (photo)

After 15 months of war, the people of Gaza, who have lost their homes, gathered belongings, and loved ones, are observing the month of Ramadan with immense hardship.

As a result of Israeli army attacks, tens of thousands of residential buildings, 823 mosques, 3 churches, and over 130 educational institutions in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed.

^{City of Khan Younis. Light in the darkness.
Photo: The New York Times}
According to reports from global news agencies, the entire Gaza Strip has been leveled, and despite the growing food shortages, Palestinians are observing the fast and setting a modest iftar table.

"Ramadan has come to the devastated Gaza. While the whole world has stepped into the month of fasting and prayer with a festive spirit, we welcomed it with sadness and grief. There is no assurance that the ceasefire will last long. People are restless, anxious, fearing that the war will start again," writes Gaza student Isro Abu Qamar in an article published on the "Al-Jazeera" website.

^{The people of Gaza are observing Ramadan for the second time under war conditions. Photo: Anadolu Agency}
Food is extremely scarce in Gaza, and what little is available is being sold at several times higher prices. In these dire conditions, most families are barely finding food for suhoor and iftar. Moreover, thousands of Gazans who fell victim to the enemy's bullets are unable to celebrate Ramadan this year.

"During the war, more than 48,000 people lost their lives. Entire families have been erased from official documents, and unfortunately, they will not be able to fast this year. The places around the iftar table are empty: the voice of a father calling his children to eat is no longer heard, the face of a son waiting eagerly for iftar is no longer seen, and the mother who prepared delicious meals has also left this world. I have lost my dear ones too," writes Isro Abu Qamar.

The Gaza student sadly notes that mosques in the region have been destroyed, including the ancient Umar mosque, which has also been bombed, and the soothing voices of the muezzins have been replaced by the sounds of rockets and bombs.

^{A woman from Jabaliya preparing food for iftar on a makeshift stove. Photo: AP}
According to the author, although the Gaza Strip has been completely destroyed, the hope of the suffering Palestinians to live freely and honorably has not diminished.

"Our mosques may have been destroyed, but our faith has not. We perform tarawih prayers in ruined houses and tents, sincerely pray, and recite the Quran. Our faith is strong that Allah will reward us greatly for the suffering we endure," says Isro Abu Qamar.

According to a ceasefire agreement reached on January 19, the Israeli administration had allowed food and other essential supplies to be brought into Gaza. However, recent reports indicate that the Benjamin Netanyahu government has claimed that the Hamas movement violated the ceasefire agreement and has stopped humanitarian aid from entering the enclave, which is already living in conditions of hunger and thirst.

^{People in Rafah content with what they have. Photo: AFP}
The Israeli army has resumed bombardments and shootings.

Previously, US President Donald Trump had proposed the highly controversial idea of relocating Palestinians from the Gaza Strip. Gazans interviewed by a "France24" correspondent stated that they would never leave their homeland, no matter how difficult the situation.

^{Jabaliya. Iftar amidst the ruins. Photo: Xinhua}
As a result of Israeli military operations, a humanitarian crisis has emerged in the Gaza Strip, with thousands of families being deprived of daily sustenance. International organizations have criticized Israel for obstructing humanitarian aid to the 2.3 million population area.