CAIRO: The holy month of Ramadhan began on Saturday for hundreds of millions of Muslims around the world.
In the Sultanate of Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, March 1 was declared the first day of fasting. The start of Ramadhan is determined by the sighting of the new crescent moon, which can vary by country. In Iran and India Ramadhan begins on Sunday.
There are approximately 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide, with the majority living in Indonesia, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In Gaza, this year, the start of Ramadhan coincides with the expiration of the first phase of a fragile ceasefire that had temporarily paused the 15-month-long war between Israel and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Images showed residents shopping and preparing for Ramadhan amid the ruins of the largely destroyed coastal strip. Ramadhan is considered a time of heightened tensions, particularly in the occupied Palestinian Territories and Jerusalem.
Hamas has called on its supporters to increase their presence at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem during Ramadhan. Meanwhile, in Syria, the fasting month also began, marking the first Ramadhan after decades of war.
In the capital Damascus and nationwide, people experienced an unprecedented rush on the first day of the holy month. For the first time in 50 years, experts gathered on a mountain north of Damascus to observe the crescent moon and determine the beginning of Ramadhan.
In many Middle Eastern countries, widespread concerns about the future cast a shadow over the start of Ramadhan.
In Lebanon — despite the current ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah — high prices and the consequences of the conflict dampened the mood. — dpa
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