Muslim countries have announced the start of Ramadan amid Israel’s conflict with Gaza

Saudi authorities have sighted the crescent moon, indicating the start of Ramadan for many of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims. This was observed on Sunday night, with Monday officially commencing the fasting month, according to reports from Saudi state television.

During Ramadan, Muslims typically fast from sunrise to sunset and engage in spiritual reflection and family gatherings. However, this year’s observance is overshadowed by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza.

Following Saudi Arabia’s lead in spotting the moon, other Sunni-majority countries in the Gulf region, along with Iraq, Syria, and Egypt, have confirmed they will commence fasting on Monday.

In certain Asia-Pacific countries like Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, Ramadan will begin on Tuesday because the crescent moon wasn’t sighted.

In Oman and Jordan, Ramadan will start on Tuesday as announced. The beginning of Ramadan depends on the sighting of the moon, and this can vary between countries, leading to different start dates for the month.

Saudi King Salman commented on the Gaza conflict after announcing Ramadan. He urged international action to stop the attacks and provide humanitarian aid. Prior to this, Saudi Arabia had encouraged people to watch the sky from Sunday night to spot the crescent moon for Ramadan.

In Iran, Ramadan usually begins a day after Sunni Muslims start fasting. The office of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced that Ramadan will commence on Tuesday, as reported by the state-run IRNA news agency.

During Ramadan, Muslims have a pre-dawn meal called “suhoor” to prepare for fasting and break their fast with “iftar” at sunset, often with a large meal.

Throughout Ramadan, Muslims focus on charitable acts and strive to avoid conflicts. However, the ongoing war between Israel and the Gaza Strip is a significant concern for many. There were hopes for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas before Ramadan began.

More than 31,000 people have lost their lives in the Israeli assault on Gaza, according to Palestinian health authorities in the besieged territory. Aid agencies are also raising concerns about a potential famine in certain parts of the Gaza Strip.

A dentist named Hassuna Tabib Hassnan, displaced from Gaza City in the north of the besieged Gaza Strip, expressed to the AFP news agency, “We hoped to be home for Ramadan, but it looks like we’ll remain displaced, in pain, and suffering.”

Israeli limitations on Muslims praying at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third-holiest site, may escalate tensions in the region.