RAFAH, Gaza Strip — For Muslims, owning and lighting a Ramadan lantern represents one of the most important rituals marking the advent of the holy month, like decorating a tree is for Christians celebrating Christmas around the world.
But for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in southern Gaza, celebrating will be even more challenging this year due to meager resources available as humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate as a result of the ongoing Israeli air and ground campaign in the enclave. Around 1.4 million Palestininians have been uprooted from their homes and have moved to southern city of Rafah, the last ostensibly 'safe' part of the enclave. Many of them are living in tented camps on the street. People moved to the city after the Israeli military ordered them to evacuate the governorates of North Gaza, Gaza City and Khan Younis and head south.
Khadija al-Abadla, a mother of four, is busy hanging decorative lights between two wooden poles outside her tent in al-Mawasi, a town near Khan Younis, as she prepares to welcome the holy month of Ramadan, expected to begin on Monday.
Abadla took a Ramadan lantern out of its package, inserted batteries, lit it and climbed onto a small table to hang it in the middle of her tent.
