NABLUS: "No decorations, no cheerful songs. There is no buying and selling activity at all."
"The atmosphere and feeling of welcoming the holy month of Ramadan in the city markets of Nablus (north of the West Bank) this time is very grim," said a resident, Abdul Latif Al-Kharaz.
Speaking to the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA), Al-Kharaz said that this year's Ramadan is completely different from previous years.
A hawker in the old city of Nablus for many years, he said that the month of Ramadan in this city has usually been celebrated with joy except this year due to the non-stop Israeli invasion of Gaza since Oct 7.
"Usually the day before Ramadan, the markets in this city will be crowded with visitors and they take a long time to buy goods due to limited movement due to overcrowding", he said.
This was confirmed by another local Umm Mustafa Abu Hatab who is also a regular customer at the market.
"This year has been very bleak, especially for the people of Gaza who have to struggle to get a piece of bread to eat. They may even have to fast all day because there is no food", he said.
Palestinians try to find the lowest price offer to buy essential goods during this conflict and limit themselves to buying only the necessary goods.
A merchant, Alaa Saad El Din, described the current situation faced by the people here as extremely difficult in all aspects and conditions.
"Usually, we see a bustling atmosphere in the Nablus markets a month before Ramadan arrives, but this year people only started buying their necessities two days ago, and the atmosphere is very different from previous years."
Media spokesman for the Nablus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Yassin Dweikat said Ramadan should be the best month for traders in terms of sales and profits, especially in the old city of Nablus.
"But everything changed this year when our economic situation is also very dire which has never happened in history.
"This is made worse by Israel's continuous invasion of the Gaza peninsula which has lasted for more than five months.
The city of Nablus is also now surrounded by 31 checkpoints and 14 iron fences that have prevented the movement of the city's residents and affected almost the entire economy here, he said.
According to him, the average Palestinian population does not have a job because the employer cannot afford to pay their wages, and their property is also confiscated by the Israeli Zionists because they allegedly do not pay taxes.
"That's why they only limit their purchases and only buy things they need", he said.
Israel's continuous attack on the Gaza Strip since Oct 7 has killed 31,112 Palestinians and injured 72,760 other residents in addition to causing massive destruction and lack of essential goods. – BERNAMA
