Children of Gaza spread joy for Ramadan, despite deadly war | Maqvi News

UNITED NATIONS  –  Clusters of tents are cobbled to­gether with any available fabric, plastic and wood, as Ramadan deco­rations, lamps and lanterns illumi­nate a crowded camp of displaced people in central Gaza, spreading a ray of hope amid the rubble of war, according to a UN report. While ceasefire talks failed to end the five-month-long conflict that has killed nearly 32,000 Palestinians – most of them women and children – the goal of some youngsters living in the makeshift camp was simple. The children of Deir Al-Balah decid­ed to lift their spirits in the face of ongoing war and celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, despite all the difficulties resulting from relent­less Israeli attacks on Gaza. “Every year we welcome Ramadan in our homes, but this year is different,” Shahad, a displaced child, told UN News’s correspondent in Gaza, Ziad Talib. “Ramadan has come upon us while we are in the middle of war.” One of the children in the camp, Shahad, said she was having fun carrying lanterns for Ramadan. “We agreed to change the atmosphere of war and decorate the camp,” she explained, with a smile on her face and enthusiasm filling her voice. Amira, displaced from northern Gaza “from built houses to tents on the dirt”, cherished the happi­ness as the youngsters sang in a small square between the tents. “The children’s joy is our joy,” she said. Despite the grief, loss and distance from family and loved ones, Amira said they de­cided on their own to celebrate the holy month. The displaced people and residents in Deir Al-Balah alike are suffering from challenging and difficult condi­tions, with hostilities displac­ing more than 1.7 million people amid an ever-worsening hunger crisis, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humani­tarian Affairs (OCHA).