As Ramazan began in Gaza this year, Palestinians found themselves navigating through the shattered ruins of mosques, their spiritual homes ravaged by Israel’s relentless assault. In Gaza City, the Al Hassaina mosque, whose dome lay atop a pile of rubble, served as a somber reminder of a time when thousands would gather for prayer.
The former courtyard now served primarily as a makeshift space for families to sleep and cook amid the devastation. Volunteers like Sami Al Hissi, 61, expressed profound grief: “We used to pray comfortably, with our loved ones by our side in prayer. Now there are no friends or loved ones left; all that remains is rubble.”
Children played on cracked domes, while women collected laundry hung between broken columns. The mosque had drawn worshippers from other areas including Shejaia and Daraj during Ramazan, Al Hissi recounted.
“We used to pray comfortably,” he said, “but now there’s barely enough space for a hundred people.”
Israel’s air and ground offensive began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched a cross-border attack that killed over 1,200 people. Health authorities confirm that Israel has killed around 72,000 Palestinians in response.
The Gaza government media office reported that Israeli forces had completely destroyed 835 mosques and partially damaged another 180. Additionally, the government claims Israel has targeted churches multiple times, destroying 40 of Gaza’s 60 cemeteries.
For many residents like Khitam Jabr, who is displaced from her home, the loss extends beyond spirituality to communal life. “We wished we could welcome Ramazan in a different atmosphere,” she said. “There are no mosques left for us to pray; now we must gather in tents.”
Despite the severe shortages of materials and devastation, Amir Abu Al-Amrain, director of the religious affairs ministry in Gaza City, shared that efforts were underway to rebuild small sections of damaged mosques using reused plastic sheeting from greenhouses and wood. Forty-three hundred prayer spaces have been rebuilt so far.
The Ramazan season presents a poignant tale of resilience, with Palestinians finding ways to continue their traditions amidst unimaginable destruction, highlighting the indomitable spirit of a community enduring hardship.