GAZA: Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip received the holy month of Ramadan in a sombre mood amid the Israeli military’s relentless attacks and hunger overshadowing the normally festive holy month as talks to secure a ceasefire stalled.
Israeli police have deployed thousands of officers in the narrow streets of Jerusalem’s Old City, particularly around the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, anticipating large gatherings of worshippers. However, the atmosphere is overshadowed by the spectre of war and hunger in Gaza.
Nader Abu Sharekh, an Islamic preacher from Rafah, lamented the plight of Gaza’s residents, describing them as “forsaken” and “left with nothing.” He highlighted the dire living conditions, including a lack of potable water and the desperation of families resorting to animal fodder for sustenance. Abu Sharekh emphasized the toll of Israeli aggression, with innocent lives lost and widespread suffering.
The ongoing Israeli siege, now in its sixth month, has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, expressed concern over the situation, noting that instead of bringing a ceasefire, the holy month of Ramadan arrives amidst extreme hunger, displacement, and fear among Palestinians in Gaza.
Dire Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
Meanwhile, Sadeq al-Khadour, spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Education, revealed the grim toll on Gaza’s youth during the Israeli aggression. Nearly 5,500 students have been martyred, with hundreds of school buildings damaged. The conflict has disrupted the education of hundreds of thousands of students, exacerbating the already dire situation.
Amid intense Israeli bombardments, Palestinians with chronic kidney disease face additional challenges in accessing life-saving treatment. With hospitals struggling to operate due to shortages of medicine, staff, and supplies, dialysis treatments have become increasingly difficult to obtain.
Meanwhile, Egypt was in contact with senior Hamas and Israeli figures as well as other mediators on Sunday in an effort to restart negotiations for a truce in the Gaza Strip during the holy month of Ramadan, which started today, Al Jazeera reported.
Egypt’s contacts with Hamas and Israeli intelligence agency Mossad on Sunday were carried out under a mandate from the Egyptian presidency in an effort to bring the two sides’ divergent positions together, the sources said, without providing further details.
