Gaza and Al-Aqsa in Ramadan: A Table and Prayer Defying Destruction and Judaization
Ramadan in Gaza and Jerusalem is unlike any other. It combines the spirit of faith with daily suffering under the weight of aggression, siege, and persistent hunger. In Jerusalem, Zionist incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque continue, while in Gaza, families struggle to secure even the simplest iftar meal amidst the destruction and severe restrictions on humanitarian aid, making each day a test of resilience and faith.
Al-Aqsa Under Incursion
Yesterday, 160 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque through the Mughrabi Gate, under heavy protection from enemy forces, and performed Talmudic rituals in the eastern area of the mosque. Simultaneously, the Zionist enemy imposed strict restrictions on the entry of worshippers, confiscating their identity cards at the gates in an attempt to reduce the Palestinian presence within the mosque compound.
Jerusalemites and Palestinian factions called for intensifying the presence and vigil at Al-Aqsa, not only during prayers but also through participation in communal iftars, to strengthen the Arab and Islamic presence and confront the ongoing Judaization attempts. Taraweeh Prayers
Despite the strict measures, approximately 50,000 worshippers performed the Isha and Taraweeh prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, affirming that the mosque remains alive through the faith and connection of its people. This turnout is a clear message that the Zionist effort to impose a new reality on the ground will not succeed, and that Palestinians are determined to maintain their religious and spiritual steadfastness during Ramadan.
The Gaza Tragedy
Hospitals in the Gaza Strip continued to receive victims of the Israeli aggression, with the number of martyrs since the beginning of the offensive rising to 72,072, while the number of wounded exceeded 171,741. Zionist aircraft and artillery targeted various areas, destroying residential buildings and civilian gathering places.
Meanwhile, the Rafah border crossing remains operating with limited capacity, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and increasing the pressure on hospitals and the health system in the Strip, which are struggling to provide even the most basic services to the wounded and displaced.
Ramadan Iftar Meals
In Gaza, Ramadan has become a daily test for families to secure even the simplest iftar meal. Destroyed homes, cramped tents, and makeshift plastic tables tell a story of resilience and suffering. Every iftar meal carries a message of resistance and hidden despair, amidst an economic and humanitarian reality that is the most dire in decades.
UNRWA and Services
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stressed the necessity of access to education, healthcare, and basic services, even during times of conflict. It affirmed its continued support for refugees despite the enemy’s ongoing violations of the ceasefire.
Regional Politics
Hazem Qassem, spokesperson for Hamas, described the statements made by the criminal Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the formation of a new regional axis as a direct threat to Arab interests and a blatant disregard for Palestinian rights.
Meanwhile, Palestinian resistance factions condemned the statements of the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, in which he referred to a biblical right for the Zionist entity from the Euphrates River to the Nile. They considered his remarks a reflection of the complete partnership between Washington and Tel Aviv in supporting settlement expansion, and called on Arabs and Muslims to awaken and confront these aggressive policies.
Unbreakable Steadfastness: This year, Ramadan in Gaza and Jerusalem was not merely a month of worship, but a test of human, religious, and political resilience. In Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa Mosque faces attempts at Judaization and incursions, while in Gaza, families struggle for survival amidst annihilation and siege. Yet, faith and resistance remain present, from the iftar meal to the mosque, from the home to the street—a message of unbreakable steadfastness.