DaysofPal — For the third consecutive year, residents of the Gaza Strip are preparing to observe the holy month of Ramadan under the shadow of ongoing war and its devastating humanitarian and economic consequences since October 7, 2023.
Once marked by festive lights, bustling markets, and traditional sweets, Ramadan in Gaza has taken on a starkly different character.
Decorations have disappeared, store shelves stand largely empty, and many families are focused simply on securing enough food for the evening iftar meal rather than maintaining long-standing traditions.
In Khan Younis, merchant Zaher Al-Qudra now runs a small stall inside a makeshift tent along the coastal Al-Rashid Road, a far cry from the large supermarket he once operated near the European Hospital.
Before the war, his shop was stocked with seasonal goods and crowded with customers preparing for Ramadan.
That changed last May when intense bombardment struck the area, forcing him to evacuate within minutes. His home and business were later destroyed.
Al-Qudra estimates losses of about $2 million and says restarting operations has been fraught with difficulties.
Essential Ramadan foods are scarce, prices fluctuate dramatically, and harsh weather often damages goods stored in tents amid frequent power outages and limited refrigeration.
“We are trying to hold on, but every day brings new risks.” he said.
Displaced families face even harsher conditions.
Shaimaa Abu Hammam, 35, who fled from Jabalia in northern Gaza, said her family now lives day-to-day with no ability to prepare for Ramadan as in previous years.
Skyrocketing prices have made even basic items such as yogurt and dates unaffordable. Her family depends largely on charity kitchens for iftar, while cooking inside tents is difficult due to fuel shortages and safety concerns.
Her hope for the month, she said, is simple: safety and employment for her husband so their children can feel that Ramadan still has meaning.
Ayman Mihna, a retired civil servant displaced from Rafah to the coastal Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, said irregular pension payments and soaring prices have forced him to rely on aid.
“Ramadan will not change our situation. We have been fasting involuntarily for months ,” he said
Beyond economic hardship, many families are confronting profound personal loss. In Deir al-Balah, Fouad Thabet is marking his first Ramadan since his son Abdullah was killed in an airstrike on the final day of last year’s Ramadan.
He recalled how his son had eagerly anticipated Eid celebrations and planned to buy new clothes for his sisters.
“Since that day, everything changed,” he said, describing an iftar table that now feels painfully incomplete.
Another resident, Munir Abu Al-Atta, lost both of his sons early in the war when a strike hit a mosque in Deir al-Balah.
He said Ramadan, once a time of family unity, now intensifies his grief.
“At every sunset call to prayer, I hear their voices in my memory,” he said. “Now I break my fast alone.”
Economist Maher Al-Tabba described the territory’s economic situation as a near-total collapse. After more than two years of conflict, unemployment is estimated at around 80 percent, poverty has surged, and purchasing power has plummeted.
Prices for some goods have increased by more than 300 percent compared with pre-war levels, while markets remain stagnant due to lack of cash and weak demand.
As a result, families are limiting spending to absolute necessities, turning what was once a peak season for commerce into an additional financial burden.
For many in Gaza, Ramadan, traditionally a period of generosity, community, and spiritual renewal, has become a month defined by survival amid loss, displacement, and uncertainty.
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