We have all seen the ongoing war in Gaza against Israeli forces. People, brands, and even companies have chosen sides in this War. There are many causes of this conflict but we want to focus on the people of Gaza currently, especially with the occurrence of Ramadan.
Regardless of the controversial issues going on during this time, according to PBR “The population of the West Bank and Gaza is almost completely Palestinian Arab. The bulk of these are Sunni Muslims: 92 percent of West Bankers and 99 percent of Gazans.” This means that with this current war, the majority of Muslims are supposed to be participating in this worldwide religious month, Ramadan.
People in Gaza have been cut off from food and water for months due to this war. Civilians have been pushed out of their homes, separated from their families, and have so much religious devotion that they are still attempting to fast even with the lack of basic human needs.
In a recent NBC article, it stated that “A usually joyous month is unrecognizable in the enclave, where over 25 people have died of starvation, as families are observing the fast without access to enough food and clean water.” This is an extremely upsetting thought and Muslims all over the world can only keep this at the front of their mind during this month. Many around the U.S. have been making efforts to bring attention to this topic and have begun funding for the families caught up in this political and territorial war.
Specifically in Washington,DC there have been many movements. One woman, Jinan Deena, a Palestinian American chef and activist who helped organize two fundraising iftars for Gaza in the Washington, DC, area during Ramadan, said Muslims in the US are keeping Palestine at the “forefront” in their approach to the holy month this year.
With this devastating occurrence, there has been a shift in the energy of this year’s Ramadan. College students around the world have been protesting against supporters of Isralei forces, even facing expulsion for displaying their freedom of speech, and many are enraged with the ignorance shown as well as the lack of media attention to the issue today, even though it is still a huge issue.
Over 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in this conflict.
One of the biggest events that occurs during this time is Eid al Fitr. This is the end of fast celebration where participants share meals, and join their families to celebrate.
Many have toned down their “Eid al-Fitr” celebrations, attempting to channel their energy into fundraising for the millions going through this destructive time. Others pray for overseas loved ones and all the others are affected by this unnecessary war.
The Washington Post has announced that U.S. senators have voted to advance Israel’s aid bill as campus antiwar protests escalate. Students in American colleges can be seen as partially for this as they have recently begun protests, with many being detained, some losing scholarships, and results of expulsion, all to support their pro-Palestine cause. Schools like Yale, New York University, MIT, UNC Chapel Hill, and most notably Columbia University have all had intensified protests in the last 6 months.
As we can see, there has been a lot going on in these past months, and seeing the efforts being made by students and adults around the world is captivating. It is important that we see the devotion and collaboration of both protestors and Muslims during the last months in an effort to bring light to this huge issue we are dealing with.
There are only so many ways that we can make an impact, but simply reposting reminders on social media platforms, and sharing the information with others can help bring much-needed attention to this war.
It has been an emotional month of Ramadan this year. We have seen beautiful religious devotions and dedication to helping others this month, and that is what Ramadan is all about. It is key that we do not forget about the misfortunate and innocent experiencing extreme displacement, injury, death, and harm.
Do not stop talking about Palestine. Do not forget Palestine.
