As Israel's war in Gaza approaches its sixth month, Palestinian Muslims are living through tense and gloomy days during Ramadan this past weekend.
About 120,000 people descended on the grounds of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which dominates Jerusalem's Old City, officials said Friday.
There were minor scuffles between Israeli police and worshipers guarding the entrance to the mosque, Islam's third holiest site.
Adri al-Agha, 53, from Jerusalem, told AFP news agency that Israeli police deployed small drones spraying tear gas to disperse worshipers, causing many to “flee the dawn prayers.” I couldn't have done it,” he said.
Friday marked Laylat al-Qadr (“Night of Power”), considered the holiest night of Ramadan, commemorating the moment when the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
This night is a festive moment when Muslims believe their prayers are most likely to come true, when children stay up late and shops stay open until midnight.
But many Palestinians are not in the mood to celebrate, instead praying for an end to nearly six months of bloody war in Gaza.
Samiha al-Qadi, 55, from near Bethlehem, said Jerusalem was “sad and has lost its light. We all feel what is happening in Gaza.” We cannot escape from it even for a moment. ”
This year, there are few Ramadan decorations or lights in the holy city, with Palestinians instead having dates (traditionally mourning) over bitter coffee on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when feasts are usually held.
“There is nothing sweet about this year's festival. People are not celebrating,” said Saba, 54, whose relatives were killed in Gaza. “Everything in my mouth is bitter. This time of year is very difficult because it's all about family.”
In Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinians gathered in Laylat al-Qadr to pray inside and outside tents they had erected near the rubble of the Al-Farouq Mosque, now in ruins from Israeli airstrikes.
People also gathered at the existing portion of the Great Omari Mosque in Gaza City to pray. The largest and oldest mosque in the Gaza Strip, also known as the Great Mosque of Gaza, was destroyed by Israeli shelling. Despite being destroyed, the mosque remains a popular place for local residents to gather for prayer.
Palestinians forced from their homes in the Gaza Strip for nearly six months due to Israeli attacks have been observing Ramadan in makeshift tents with limited means and difficult conditions. Many people spend their last days reading the Quran and decorating their Eid tents.
