Displaced children in Gaza craft Ramadan decorations from waste
Shafaq News- Gaza
Displaced children in Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis are hanging Ramadan decorations crafted from cut and tied empty drink bottles outside their tents, where faded colors now sway above crowded displacement camps in a modest effort to create moments of joy amid ongoing hardship and loss.
This year, Ramadan comes as many families remain without homes or stable income and rely heavily on aid. Preparations for the month no longer involve shopping trips and traditional decorations, but efforts to preserve its spiritual and social meaning.
Umm Alaa, a mother of four, described the change in atmosphere. “Despite the halt in shelling, the tent remains our cold shelter. The empty spaces around the iftar table remind us of those we lost, and even the evening meal is no longer guaranteed as it once was.”
For Mohammad Alayan, Ramadan once brought a sense of security that many now feel is missing. Years of displacement, he noted, have altered the month’s details, from group Taraweeh prayers to large iftar gatherings that have given way to a quieter life. “We used to cook with gas and break our fast under electric lights. Today we cook over fire and break our fast by the light of a phone. Even the call to prayer no longer carries the same feeling amid daily pressures.”
At local markets, the strain is visible. Iman Al-Khudari ventured out to check prices rather than shop, explaining that costs exceed her ability to afford them and that, since her husband’s death, the family has no income. She noted that every iftar meal now depends on assistance. What was once a joyful pre-Ramadan outing has become a reminder of financial hardship. “The look on my children’s faces when they see goods I cannot buy. The market is no longer a place of happiness, but a space to confront a heavy reality.”
Helping to decorate his neighborhood, Wissam Huneideq said the initiative aims to lift children’s spirits, explaining that their smiles give residents a reason to keep going and that they need to see something cheerful despite the circumstances.
