Worshippers gather in rubble and makeshift prayer spaces
GAZA, Feb 18 – As Ramadan began in Gaza on Wednesday, Palestinians prayed among the shattered remains of mosques or in makeshift spaces built from tarpaulins and wood, mourning both loved ones and lost places of worship.
In Gaza City, the dome of the destroyed Al Hassaina mosque lies atop rubble. Families now sleep and cook in what was once its courtyard, where washing lines stretch between broken columns. “I can’t bear to look at it,” said Sami Al Hissi, 61, a volunteer at the mosque. “We used to pray comfortably. We used to see our friends and loved ones. Now there are no loved ones, no friends, and no mosque.”
Children climbed over cracked domes as women collected laundry. Al Hissi said thousands once gathered there during Ramadan, including worshippers from Shejaia and Daraj. “Now there’s barely enough space for a hundred people,” he said.
Israel launched its offensive in Gaza after a Hamas-led cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Palestinian health authorities say Israel’s campaign has killed 72,000 people.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said Israeli forces have destroyed 835 mosques and partially damaged 180, as well as targeted churches and cemeteries. Israel says it strikes militant infrastructure and accuses armed groups of operating in civilian areas, an allegation Hamas denies.
Meanwhile, displaced residents now shelter inside damaged mosques. “We pray in tents,” said Khitam Jabr.
Despite shortages, officials say residents have rebuilt 430 prayer areas using plastic sheeting and wood to preserve communal worship.
