Gaza receives war on the first day of Ramadan, amid Arab and international efforts for an imminent truce

The month of Ramadan this year begins today (Monday), in 17 Arab countries, and in 4 other countries tomorrow (Tuesday). This is in light of the continued Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip amid Arab and international efforts to establish a truce as soon as possible.

On Monday, 17 Arab countries announced the beginning of the month of Ramadan, while 4 countries (the Sultanate of Oman, Jordan, Morocco, and Libya) designated Tuesday as the beginning of the blessed month, in light of the continuation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

This came according to statements by official sources in those countries regarding the results of the Ramadan crescent survey.

Monday is the beginning of the month of Ramadan

The official Saudi News Agency reported, citing a statement from the Royal Court, that “the Supreme Court decides that tomorrow, Monday, corresponding to March 11, 2024, is the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan for this year 1445 AH.”

Yemen, the Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain also announced the sighting of the crescent of Ramadan and the beginning of the month (Monday), according to a statement by the Yemeni Ministry of Endowments and news agencies in those Gulf countries.

On Monday, Lebanon and Egypt also designated Palestine as the beginning of the month of Ramadan, according to separate statements by the Mufti of Lebanon, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, the Mufti of Egypt, Shawqi Allam, and the Mufti of Palestine, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein.

The first day of Ramadan will fall on Monday in Sudan, Iraq, and Syria, according to separate statements issued by the Sudanese Islamic Jurisprudence Academy, the Sunni Endowment Office in Iraq, and the Ministry of Endowments of the Syrian regime.

Somalia, Algeria, Tunisia, Djibouti, and Mauritania also declared Monday the first day of Ramadan, according to the Crescent Watch Committee in Nouakchott, the Algerian News Agency, the Mufti of the Tunisian Republic, Hisham Ben Mahmoud, and the Djiboutian and Somali “Endowments.”

Tuesday, the beginning of the month of Ramadan

Meanwhile, Jordan, Morocco, Libya, and the Sultanate of Oman announced, on Tuesday, the beginning of the holy month, according to separate statements conveyed by the Grand Mufti of Jordan, Ahmed Al-Hasanat, the Moroccan “Endowments,” the Libyan Fatwa House, and the Omani News Agency.

The Comoros has not yet issued an official announcement regarding the results of the Ramadan poll.

Palestine "receives war"

The month of Ramadan this year comes as the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip continues since October 7, and amid Arab and international efforts to establish a truce as soon as possible.

On Sunday evening, eyewitnesses said that the Israeli police prevented hundreds of Palestinian worshipers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque, and beat a number of them on the first night of the holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said that large forces of Israeli police prevented the entry of hundreds of worshipers who tried to cross through several doors of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and only allowed those over the age of 40 and women.

Most areas of the Gaza Strip did not witness Tarawih prayers in mosques, but there were a few places that witnessed prayers being performed in limited numbers, unlike previous conditions, when mosques and public squares were crowded with worshipers.

They explained that there are streets and public places in the town of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip, where prayers were performed, but in limited numbers, for fear of targeting an Israeli.

In the city of Rafah, small numbers of residents were also observed performing Tarawih prayers alongside the ruins of homes, roads and mosques.

Regarding the situation in Palestine, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz said in a speech: “It pains us that the month of Ramadan comes this year, in light of the attacks our brothers in Palestine are suffering from.”

The Saudi King stressed "the need for the international community to fulfill its responsibilities to stop these brutal crimes and provide safe humanitarian and relief corridors."

On Sunday, King Abdullah II of Jordan called on the people of Gaza to “may God remove injustice from them and alleviate their suffering,” on the occasion of the month of Ramadan, according to a post on his account on the X platform.

Coinciding with the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, the occupation army escalated raids, storming, and arrest operations in the West Bank, leaving 425 martyrs and about 4,700 wounded, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and about 7,500 prisoners, according to institutions specialized in prisoner affairs.