Little Ramadan lanterns and string lights appeared on streets lined with collapsed buildings and piles of rubble in Gaza City, bringing joy and respite as Islam’s holiest month began -- the first since October’s ceasefire. A security source in Gaza told AFP Wednesday that artillery shelling targeted the eastern parts of Gaza City that morning. Maha Fathi, 37, was displaced from Gaza City and lives in a tent west of the city. “Despite all the destruction and suffering in Gaza, Ramadan is still special,” she told AFP. Mohammed al-Madhoun, 43, also lives in a tent west of Gaza City, and hoped for brighter days ahead.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 18, 2026 14:49 UTC