Gaza Residents Bring Ramadan Joy Amid Rubble After Ceasefire

Little Ramadan lanterns and string lights are appearing on Gaza City streets lined with rubble, bringing flickers of joy as Islam's holiest month begins under a fragile peace.

At the Omari mosque, dozens of worshippers performed their first Ramadan morning prayer in heavy jackets against the winter cold. "Despite the occupation, the destruction of mosques and schools, and the demolition of our homes, we came," Abu Adam, a Gaza City resident, told news agencies.

Tens of thousands of Palestinians still live in tents and makeshift shelters as they wait for reconstruction after a ceasefire took hold in October 2025. For many, this Ramadan marks the first time in over two years they can celebrate without active war around them.

Maha Fathi, 37, was displaced from Gaza City and now lives in a tent west of the city. "Despite all the destruction and suffering in Gaza, Ramadan is still special," she said.

She explained that neighbors have begun empathizing with each other again after everyone focused on survival during the war. Families are sharing moments of joy preparing traditional meals and hanging decorations together.

"Everyone longs for the atmosphere of Ramadan," Fathi added. "Seeing the decorations and the activity in the markets fills us with hope for a return to stability."

On the beach in Deir el-Balah, Palestinian artist Yazid Abu Jarad contributed to the holiday spirit by sculpting "Welcome Ramadan" in ornate Arabic calligraphy in the sand. Children from a nearby tent camp watched curiously as he worked near the Mediterranean Sea.

Mohammed al-Madhoun, 43, lives in a tent west of Gaza City with his family. "We try to find joy despite everything," he said, describing his first Ramadan night out with neighbors, eating the pre-fast meal and praying together.

He smiled when talking about the children. "The children were as if they were on a picnic."

Why This Inspires

After losing so much, Gaza's residents are choosing celebration over despair. They're hanging lights in tent camps, sharing scarce food with neighbors, and ensuring their children experience Ramadan's magic despite the circumstances.

These small acts of normalcy represent something powerful: communities refusing to let hardship steal their traditions and connection. In a place where nearly all 2.2 million residents were displaced at least once, people are rebuilding not just structures but the social fabric that makes life meaningful.

Nearly all of Gaza's residents hope this is their last Ramadan in temporary shelters as they wait for reconstruction to begin in earnest.