March for Palestine in Cardiff taking place ahead of Eid

On Saturday, April 6, the Newport Palestine Solidarity Campaign will be holding a March for Palestine outside Cardiff Central Library, using children's shoes as a symbol of the devastation suffered by the children and young people during this conflict.

Zahid Noor, spokesperson for the Newport Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said:

The March for Palestine campaigners have been asked to bring children's shoes to highlight the harrowing truth. (Image: Newport Palestinian Solidarity Campaign)

“This period has proved very difficult for Muslims in this country, psychologically and emotionally. There’s been a lot of thought and reflection on fellow Muslims in Gaza.

“There is that sense of solidarity coming from the fact that people are fasting now. It’s been difficult with the Iftar meals - you’ve been breaking your fast whilst knowing that there’s young kids in Gaza with malnutrition.”

In previous years, the city of Gaza would have united in joyful and peaceful celebration for three days, including mass congregational prayers at mosques, community gatherings and rejoicing with family and friends. Tragically, given the current conflict in Gaza, this year will paint a very different picture.

What is Ramadan?

One of the five pillars of Islam, Ramadan, is annually observed by Muslims as an intense month of fasting, prayer, self reflection and charity.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, and lasts between 29 and 30 days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. All adult Muslims who are not ill, traveling, elderly, pregnant or otherwise exempt, will fast from dawn to sunset. The pre-dawn meal is referred to as Suhur, and the nightly meal to break the fast is called Iftar.

Muslims tend to break their fast with dates and water, if these are available. (Image: Canva)

El al-Fitr, or 'festival of breaking the fast', is the celebration that comes at the end of the Ramadan period. It is a joyous occasion centred around giving thanks to God through a special congregational Eid prayer, spending time with family and friends, cooking and sharing food and dressing up for the occasion. While some Muslim countries around the world celebrate Eid for three days, in the UK it is likely to be celebrated between the evening of Tuesday, April 9 and the morning of Wednesday, April 10 this year, depending on the first sighting of the moon.

Amid the current Israel-Palestine, traditional Ramadan and Eid occasions in Gaza for 2024 have been thwarted.

Raising awareness

The cruel irony of Gaza’s impending famine during the month of Ramadan and fasting makes raising awareness all the more important during this time of crisis.

Eid-ul-Fitr depends on the moon sighting. Some Muslims will observe the occasion on Tuesday, while others will celebrate the end of Ramadan on Wednesday. (Image: Newport PSC)

Last month, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification reported that famine in Gaza is imminent as “1.1 million people, half of Gaza, experience catastrophic food insecurity”. According to the UN, famine in Northern Gaza could occur at any time up to May 2024.

Famine in Gaza

Food shortages have been caused by destroyed food infrastructure and farmland, as well as disruptions to aid deliveries due to enhanced security checks on trucks and the blockage of alternative air and overseas transportation routes.

Just this week, seven aid workers from the international food charity World Central Kitchen were killed by Israeli strikes, despite Israeli officials denying claims that Israeli forces deliberately targeted aid workers.

Throughout Ramadan, some families in Gaza have had little to eat and will continue like this into Eid-ul-Fitr (Image: Canva)

Mr Noor of the Newport Palestine Solidarity Campaign, added: “There will be a lot of thought for people in Gaza during Eid, it’s quite a difficult period to be holding Eid.”

While Muslims around the world will celebrate Eid next week in their homes, 1.9 million Palestinians will observe the Eid holiday while displaced from their homes in Gaza.

Israeli attacks have destroyed at least 500 mosques in Gaza, another reminder of the stark contrast between this year’s celebrations and those of previous years. On Eid morning, Muslims in Gaza will not be able to dress up in their best and attend the local mosque for congregational prayer and giving thanks to God.

Celebration in the face of crisis

Despite the dire situation, Gazans are still determined to show peaceful resistance by persevering through hardships and celebrating Eid in any small way they can.

Zahid Noor emphasised: “There is also an element of resistance to what has happened and also a desire to build some sense of community and fun for children, a sense of normality.”

Eid-ul-Fitr will be marred for many Muslims this year as a result of what is happening in the Middle East. (Image: Canva)

A report by Al Jazeera shows how families in Gaza have been decorating their tents to mark the occasion and help distract children from the immense suffering.

Qasim Shafi is a Newport-based charity campaigner who is currently deployed in Lebanon to help disadvantaged communities and Palestinian refugees.

Mr Shafi's deployment provides an extensive list of programmes such as sponsorship for Syrian and Palestinian refugees including orphans, widows and families.

He said: “We go to various camps and focus on the specific needs of the people in those camps. As an example, we paid 12 months rent for 50 families in 42 tents.”

During Ramadan, Qasim has first-handedly been able to aid the ongoing food insecurity crisis, adding: “Most days are ending with large community Iftars. Many of these people have not had a nutritious meal in a long time.”

Those that support the cause are gearing up for the March for Palestine in Cardiff (Image: Newport Palestine Solidarity Campaign)

Local campaigning

Local campaign group, Newport Palestine Solidarity Campaign, is continuing to call upon Newport residents to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Newport PSC is the local branch of the national Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the largest organisation in the UK dedicated to securing Palestinian human rights.

The Newport PSC has been holding weekly protests every Thursday from 5.30pm to 6.30pm on the Town Bridge by the Castle. Drivers and passers-by have continuously signalled their support through toots and beeps for Palestine, as well as people winding down their windows, clapping, raising their fists and shouting in solidarity with Palestine.

The Newport PSC is also due to join the National PSC’s lobby of Parliament on April 24 to demand MPs to take action for Palestine. (Image: Newport PSC)

Newport PSC secretary, Zahid Noor, said: “There is so much that we can do locally to raise awareness and support for the Palestinians. We are calling to people to boycott divestment and sanctions of Israel until it respects Palestinian human rights and international law.

“We’re going to carry on in terms of all the different elements of work we have been involved in over the past six months. Everybody has a role to play, we need to keep calling on our MPs for a ceasefire now.”

The Newport PSC is also due to join the National PSC’s lobby of Parliament on April 24 to demand MPs to take action for Palestine.