February 28, 2025
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Gaza war survivors mark another sombre Ramadan far from home

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Gaza war survivors mark another sombre Ramadan far from home

More than 1,400 Palestinians evacuated to Doha mark Ramadan away from Gaza, longing to reunite with their families.

The al-Agha family arrived in Doha in December 2023. “I have no hope and no feeling now, I am still sad about what happened,” Nesma told Al Jazeera [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]

By Bertha WangPublished On 28 Feb 202528 Feb 2025

Doha, Qatar – Haya al-Barai is preparing for another quiet Ramadan in Qatar. She will mark the Muslim holy month with her grandmother far from home.

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. Her other two sisters and a brother remain in Gaza.

“I don’t want to celebrate Ramadan here. I used to enjoy Ramadan with my family. 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.

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For many Palestinian evacuees in Doha, this Ramadan marks another year of separation from their family in Gaza.

Hamsa al-Raqp, 12, lost her left eye and broke her right arm in an Israeli air attack. She remembers the happiness of playing games with her cousins during Ramadan in Gaza.

Her father, Maher, said the family has not celebrated Ramadan since the war in Gaza began.

“Last year, as the killing continued, we did not do anything for Ramadan. I watched television all day and worried about my family still in Gaza. I check on them every day just to make sure they are alive,” Maher said. “This year’s Ramadan makes no difference to me, as my wife and my three children remain in Gaza.”

Nesma watches Lama walk during a physiotherapy session. It took Lama nine months to learn to walk again with her artificial leg. “She cried when she knew that she lost her leg. Later on she accepted the situation and believed that her leg went to paradise before her. We have faith in God. She must be strong,” Nesma told Al Jazeera. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]

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The al-Haow family arrived in Doha in May 2024. An Israeli air attack killed Rabab’s eight-year-old daughter Malak. Her husband, two daughters and her son remain in Gaza. Rabab said she appreciated everything here but she still misses home. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]
Family photos, a T-shirt printed with Yahya’s photo and Sama’s scarf.
Both Yahya and Sama were killed in an air attack. Nesma was prepared before the strike hit her home. She brought clothes and family photos. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]
Rabab participates in a sewing class with other Palestinian women. She started learning to sew when she arrived in Doha. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]
Adwaa did not celebrate Ramadan last year. This year, Adwaa has decorated her home in Doha and will prepare Palestinian dishes such as makdous and musakhan to mark the occasion. However, the absence of her loved ones in Gaza still weighs heavily on her heart. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]
Maher’s broken phone and Hamsa’s empty backpack. The only items that they brought to Doha. “Even my phone got injured,” said Maher.
Maher accompanied Hamsa to Doha as she was severely injured. She lost her left eye and her right hand was broken; she was in a coma. When she gained consciousness, she lost her memory about how she was wounded. Hamsa received medical treatment in Doha and an artificial eye was inserted. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]

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Haya al-Barai, 16, and her grandmother Souad al-Barai, 73, arrived in Doha in December 2023. She lived with her grandmother, as well as her parents, four sisters and a brother in Jabalia before the war began. Her mother was killed in an Israeli air raid, while she and her elder sister were wounded. Her father was killed in another air raid after Haya and her grandmother were evacuated to Doha. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]
A Palestinian flag and a small teddy bear that represents a child’s life lost during the war at Haya’s home in Doha. Haya did not bring anything to Doha. She arrived in Qatar barefoot. She misses Gaza, even though her parents passed away. However, she does not want to go back to Gaza because she lost her parents and her home was destroyed. She wants to bring her siblings to Doha. But her grandmother wants to go back to Gaza to take care of her grandchildren. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]
Hamsa al-Raqp, 12, and Maher al-Raqp, 42, arrived in Doha in February 2024. Maher has a family of six. His wife, two daughters and a son remain in Gaza. They were all injured during an Israeli air raid. “No life in Gaza. There is nothing,” said Maher. However, he said he wants to see his family in Khan Younis even though he does not know how they will live. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]
Adwaa’s phone displays a before and after photo of her home in northern Gaza. The Abu al-Ross family moved to southern Gaza when the air strike hit their house. She did not bring anything with her except her phone. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]
Souad cried when she recalled the day she found out her son was killed. It happened in October 2024, 10 months after she and Haya settled in Doha. She was watching Al Jazeera Arabic news, and saw a man lying on the floor. She did not know that was her son, as his face was covered with blood, until her relative told her. The air raid hit the small tent he built in front of his destroyed home, in which he stayed with his other children. His children were not it the tent at that time.

Meanwhile, Haya said she wants her grandmother to feel good and not to remember the past and the bad things that happened to her. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]

The Abu al-Ross family. (From left) Adwaa Abu al-Roos, 44, and her son Rushi Abu al-Ross, 16, arrived in Doha in December 2023. Adwaa’s husband, three daughters and son remain in Gaza. She has not seen her family for a year and a half. She misses her children in Gaza, especially her youngest, Mohammed, who is 10 years old. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]
Rabab’s ID and her children’s passport.

The al-Haow family was in a truck when the air raid hit their house. Rabab said she did not have time to pack her belongings except her ID and their passports. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]

Maher works as a volunteer to bring kids to school. He also learned cooking, which used to be his wife’s task in Gaza. He keeps himself busy all the time, because if he is not busy, he will sit and start to think of his family. He said his beautiful life became a nightmare after the war. [Bertha Wang/Al Jazeera]

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