Surviving Ramadan Amidst Ruins: A Family's Story

As the sun sets over Gaza City, Saddam al-Yazji, his wife, and daughter break their daily Ramadan fast with noodle soup at the site of their former home, destroyed by an airstrike. Their simple meal takes place in the shadow of a towering pile of rubble, under which much of their family still lies buried.

The tragic loss occurred in December 2023, when Israeli forces bombed their house. Forty relatives, including al-Yazji's parents, siblings, and in-laws, perished in the attack. The al-Yazjis' story is a poignant reflection of how deeply the ongoing conflict disrupts the traditional family-centric celebrations of Ramadan in Gaza.

The conflict, ignited by a Hamas attack in October 2023, has devastated the region. Over 72,000 people, nearly half women and children, have been killed. Millions are homeless, and recovery efforts are severely hindered by the lack of resources. The al-Yazjis' Ramadan, once a time of large family gatherings, now echoes with loss, surrounded by a landscape of destruction.