New Delhi, March 2 -- Loss and despair marked the first day of Ramadan festivities in Gaza. For Gazans, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan was not the same festive time they used to have. Many have lost their family members and loved ones as the war between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel continues unabated since October 2023.

Ramadan for Gaza residents started this year under a fragile ceasefire agreement that paused more than 15 months of a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated the Gaza Strip.

Compared to last Ramadan, many found relief in the truce - but there's also worry and fear about what's next and grief over the personal and collective losses, the raw wounds and the numerous scars le...