Ramadan

Bodies of Palestinians who were killed by Israeli airstrikes overnight during Israel’s renewed bombing of Gaza, European Hospital, Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, March 18, 2025. (Doaa Albaz/Activestills)

Scenes from a Ramadan massacre

Palestinians in Gaza City describe collecting body parts from the street and fending off stray dogs as they awaited ambulances amid Israel's attacks.

By Ahmed Ahmed March 20, 2025

Gazans light fireworks over the ruins of Khan Younis to celebrate Ramadan, with Israel’s blockade causing an ongoing electricity blackout, March 12, 2025. (Doaa Albaz/Activestills)

Fasting while starving, Gazans struggle to mark Ramadan

As Israel continues to prevent the entry of food into the Strip, Palestinians are gathering with surviving family members to observe the holiday in the rubble.

By Ruwaida Kamal Amer and Ibtisam Mahdi March 17, 2025

Ramadan decorations at the European Hospital near Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, March 2024. (Ruwaida Kamal Amer)

At overburdened Gaza hospital, Palestinians try to instill Ramadan spirit

Displaced families have decorated Gaza’s European Hospital to mark the holy month, though the war’s devastating impact makes it hard to be festive.

By Ruwaida Kamal Amer March 27, 2024

Latest

Israeli border police officers stand guard while Jewish Israelis visit the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem's Old City, during the Passover holiday the holy month of Ramadan, April 9, 2023. (Jamal Awad/Flash90)

Israel, leave Ramadan alone

Instead of devoting ourselves to spiritual growth or being able to enjoy time with family, we Palestinians are made to fear this holy month.

By Samah Salaime April 14, 2023

Israeli security forces stand guard while Muslim worshipers pray outside the Lion's Gate in Jerusalem's Old City, during the holy month of Ramadan, April 5, 2023. (Jamal Awad/Flash90)

‘The Israeli police wanted to show that they are in control of Al-Aqsa’

Writer Jalal Abukhater explains the context behind a violent raid in Al-Aqsa, and why the mosque is more than a place of worship for Palestinians.

By Vera Sajrawi April 5, 2023

Mansour Abbas, head of the Ra'am party, leads a faction meeting in the Knesset, October 4, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

Mansour Abbas won’t bring down the Israeli government — for his own sake

The Ra'am leader froze his party's membership in the gov't following the violent crackdown at Al-Aqsa. Here's why quitting isn't an option.

By Samah Salaime April 19, 2022

Palestinians shop for food ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan, in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip. April 20, 2020. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)

In isolation and exile, Ramadan still brings its blessings

Though I could not share an iftar with my Palestinian mother due to the pandemic, she made sure we could savor its pleasures, even from a distance.

By Samer Badawi May 20, 2020

Residents of the Shuja'iyya neighborhood in Gaza huddle around Walid Hattab's cauldron of soup for iftar, April 25, 2020. (Mohammed Zaanoun)

PHOTOS: Gaza makes the most of Ramadan under coronavirus lockdown

With large gatherings prohibited and mosques closed for prayer, the strip’s residents are doing everything they can to feel the spirit of the holiday.

By Mohammed Zaanoun May 8, 2020

Merchants sell Ramadan decorations in Gaza City's Al-Zawiya on Sunday, May 5, 2019. (Mohammed Al Hajjar)

Start of Ramadan marred by bombing, poverty in Gaza

Markets remained empty and many worshipers stayed away from mosques during the first few days of the Muslim holy month due to a violent escalation with Israel that left 27 Palestinians and four Israelis dead. By Amjad Yaghi GAZA CITY — The foot traffic in Gaza’s markets was scarce already in the days leading up…

By +972 Magazine May 7, 2019

Palestinians from the West Bank enjoy the beach in Tel Aviv- Jaffa during the Eid al-Fitr holiday. June 17, 2018. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

On Eid al-Fitr, some Palestinians get their first visit to the sea

Traveling from cities and villages across the West Bank, thousands of Palestinians celebrate the holiday of Eid a-Fitr at the beach. For many, it was their first time there. For others, it was their first time in half a century. By Oren Ziv Thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank celebrated the holiday of Eid…

By Oren Ziv June 18, 2018

Palestinians from the West Bank cross through Qalandyia checkpoint to attend the second Friday prayers in Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, June 9, 2017. Israeli authorities allowed women of all ages and men over 40 to enter Jerusalem without permits on Fridays during the month of Ramadan only. (Ahmad al-Bazz/Activestills.org)

After Ramadan, back to your regularly scheduled occupation

During the month of Ramadan, Palestinians were more freely able to pass between the West Bank and Jerusalem. Now it’s back to the old rules of military occupation. Text by Ahmad al-Bazz / Activestills.org The final Friday of Ramadan was also the final day in which Israel temporarily “relaxed” its restrictions on Palestinian movement in…

By Activestills June 25, 2017

Palestinians holding an iftar meal at Tel Rumeida checkpoint, Hebron, June 3, 2017. (Courtesy of Human Rights Defenders Group)

Palestinian activists break Ramadan fast at Hebron checkpoint

The restrictions on movement between different neighborhoods of Hebron meant that a number of Palestinian activists, who were on their way to an iftar meal in Tel Rumeida, were compelled to break their fast sitting on the ground at a checkpoint instead. Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims across the world, is a time for…

By Orly Noy June 6, 2017

Palestinian women and children, along with men over the age of 40, walk through Qalandiya checkpoint toward Jerusalem on the first Friday of Ramadan, June 2, 2017. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

PHOTOS: Who is and isn’t allowed into Jerusalem on Ramadan

Tens of thousands of Palestinians crossed through Israeli checkpoints Friday morning to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque. Photos and text by Oren Ziv/Activestills.org Thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank crossed through Qalandiya checkpoint on their way to Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday to mark the first Friday of Ramadan. This year, the Israeli authorities allowed entry to women…

By Activestills June 2, 2017