Gaza's iftar tables set amid ruins for years

A striking visual compilation by Anadolu Agency (AA) has laid bare the grim reality of life in Gaza, where Ramadan iftar tables have been set against backdrops of destruction for over a decade. The photographic comparison reveals haunting parallels between images captured years apart, demonstrating that while time passes, the condition of life for Palestinians in the besieged territory remains unchanged, trapped between Israeli attacks and the impossibility of rebuilding.

The compilation shows that Gaza faces not only periodic Israeli military operations but also a systematic blockade that prevents reconstruction, leaving families to observe their holiest month amid the same rubble year after year. The visual evidence underscores how Israel's restrictions on construction materials and continued military pressure have created a permanent state of destruction from which Gazans cannot escape.

A decade of same iftar scenes

On June 20, 2015, the al-Ajla family from Gaza City's Shujaiya neighborhood gathered on the ground among the debris of their destroyed home to break their Ramadan fast. The image captured a moment of resilience amid overwhelming loss, as family members sat on plastic sheets spread over concrete fragments that once formed their shelter.

More than a decade later, on Feb. 18, 2026, another Palestinian family in Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa neighborhood performed the same ritual under nearly identical circumstances. They marked the first iftar of Ramadan atop the wreckage of their home, destroyed in the latest wave of Israeli strikes that began Feb. 28 as part of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran.

Blockade perpetuates destruction

The visual parallels tell a story beyond individual tragedies, exposing how Israel's crippling blockade on Gaza prevents any meaningful recovery between rounds of violence. Cement, steel and other reconstruction materials remain classified as "dual-use" items, largely barred from entry under the guise of security concerns. This policy ensures that each new Israeli operation finds Gaza's infrastructure still shattered from previous attacks, forcing families like those photographed to celebrate their faith not in rebuilt homes but on the same rubble that has defined their existence for years.

As the broader Middle East conflict intensifies, with Iran retaliating against US-Israeli strikes and Gulf states caught in the crossfire, Gaza's enduring plight serves as a reminder of unresolved injustices that continue to fuel regional instability. Türkiye has consistently advocated for lifting the blockade and supporting Palestinian rights, with humanitarian agencies working to provide relief to families observing Ramadan under conditions unimaginable to most of the world.