Sort of a great story, the first day of Ramadan saw a near-five-thousand Palestinians breaking their fast together, hoping for at least a moment of togetherness and communion that could shield them from the freakish turmoil outside. Such gatherings, within bombed-out buildings and remnants of a fractured landscape, serve as reminders of strength and faith amidst the impending dark hours of a humanitarian catastrophe. With supplies greatly limited, woefully insufficient, and almost impossible to find, families had had to ration their meager belongings in keeping with their cultural observance of the Iftar meal that marks the end of the daily fast observed through Ramadan.
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The continuing tensions were fueled by Hamas, whose statement condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not allowing humanitarian assistance into Gaza. Describing the act as mere “cheap blackmail” and “coup of the ceasefire negotiation,” Netanyahu’s point about blocking aid deliveries came when there were continued hostilities. According to Israel, aid corridors are being used to smuggle arms or give assistance to Hamas operatives. Humanitarian organizations and Palestinian officials warned that restrictions are going to make an already catastrophic situation worse, deepening starvation and desperation in the civilian population of Gaza.
Such ceasefire talks brokered by international actors remain quite fragile, with both sides leveling accusations against one another. On its part, Hamas said Netanyahu’s pronouncement on the suspension of humanitarian assistance contravened past agreements that were intended to help forge a ceasefire, while Israel maintained that any cessation of fighting should be predicated upon guarantees of release of hostages and a halt in militant activity.
While the humanitarian crisis deepens, international pressure mounts for that urgent inoculation, which would include guarantees within safe passages of food, water, and medical items into Gaza. For thousands of Palestinians who are under siege, Ramadan continues its struggle for survival, devoid of any hope for relief in the near future.
