Gaza war survivors mark another sombre Ramadan far from home
Doha, Qatar – Haya al-Barai is preparing for another quiet Ramadan in Qatar. She will travel far away from her grandmother to observe the Muslim holy month.
Israel’s war on Gaza has torn her family apart.
The 16-year-old arrived in Qatar’s capital in December 2023 after her parents were killed in Israeli air attacks. Al-Barai , was wounded in the attacks and is now a paraplegic.
One of her sisters, who was also wounded, is in Türkiye. In Gaza are her other two sisters and a brother still present.
“I don’t want to celebrate Ramadan here. My family and I used to enjoy Ramadan. We would eat and play games together. My family was together at that time”, Haya said.
Israel’s war on Gaza since October 2023 has left more than 38, 000 Palestinians orphaned.
About 1, 400 Palestinians have been evacuated to Doha with nearly 500 of them wounded.
Most of them are now residing in a compound in Thumama, on the southern outskirts of Qatar’s capital.
For Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a time of fasting, prayer and reflection, and also a time to share with loved ones.
This Ramadan marks yet another year of separation from their Gazan families for many Palestinian evacuees in Doha.
Hamsa al-Raqp, 12, lost her left eye and broke her right arm in an Israeli air attack. She recalls enjoying Ramadan games with her cousins in Gaza.
Her father, Maher, said the family has not celebrated Ramadan since the war in Gaza began.
Source: Aljazeera
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