GAZA CITY, Palestine / ISTANBUL

A Palestinian woman in southern Gaza is turning discarded relief aid boxes into colorful Ramadan lanterns, seeking to restore a sense of tradition and joy after two years of war.

Reihan Sharab, 32, transforms leftover cardboard from empty and damaged aid parcels into bright lanterns in the narrow alleys of a displacement camp in the Mawasi area west of Khan Younis.

Sitting outside her tent, Sharab cuts the cartons into small pieces to form lantern frames, then covers them with fabric featuring traditional geometric patterns in vibrant colors.

“The lantern here is not just decoration, but a message that we can create joy even from things that were associated with need,” Sharab told Anadolu.

For the past two years, Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, has passed heavily for Palestinians in Gaza, who endured a two-year Israeli war accompanied by severe famine, with few of the usual rituals or preparations. The holy month is set to start later this week.

Colorful illuminated lanterns have long marked the approach of Ramadan in Gaza, where families once bought them to delight children and encourage them to fast. Shops and streets were traditionally decorated with large fabric lanterns throughout the holy month.

According to World Bank data, the Israeli war has pushed all of Gaza’s residents into poverty, with most relying on humanitarian aid that Israel tightly restricts from entering the territory.

Nearly every home or tent in Gaza now contains cardboard boxes that arrive filled with food and relief supplies.

Simple materials

Using limited tools, Sharab fashions lanterns that appear bright and festive despite their basic components.

She said Palestinians originally received the aid parcels to meet daily needs but she decided to turn them into “something that plants joy in children’s hearts.”

“I try to restore Ramadan rituals to Palestinian homes after they were absent for two years because of the war,” she said.

Her options were limited because of the war’s impact. She said using available materials reflects the ability to “adapt and turn the simplest resources into something beautiful.”

Sharab began making lanterns about five years ago, crafting the first for her child.

“At first I used cardboard, then I introduced wood the following year. During the war we stopped because of displacement and losing our home, but today

I returned to making them,” she said.
Although she had not planned to resume this season due to rising raw material costs, she used available cartons to produce lanterns for children, shops, mosques and the camp.

Since the war began, Palestinians have also used cardboard scraps to light fires as a substitute for cooking gas, which was largely unavailable for two years. Israel later allowed limited amounts of gas to enter under a ceasefire agreement.

Sharab said she had hesitated between using the cartons to store food or for decoration, but ultimately managed to use them for both purposes.

Joy for children

Children are especially attached to the lanterns, she said.

“With every new lantern, children’s faces light up. They touch them carefully and then wave them proudly in front of their friends. These lanterns make them happy before adults,” she said.

Sharab distributes some lanterns in different sizes and colors to decorate the camp ahead of Ramadan.

“We must celebrate the arrival of Ramadan despite living in tents and harsh conditions. These lanterns bring joy to the place and make children feel happy,” she said.

Palestinians are accustomed to welcoming Ramadan “with joy” and “want to continue doing so regardless of the circumstances,” she added.

Source of income

Through the small project, Sharab seeks to generate income to support her two children amid harsh living and economic conditions.

For more than two years, hundreds of thousands of displaced people in Gaza have faced severe hardship after their homes were destroyed, forcing them from their neighborhoods and depriving them of income.

Despite shortages and rising operating costs, many Palestinians continue working and insist on reviving Ramadan traditions in their devastated communities.

Although major fighting has subsided, humanitarian conditions in Gaza have not significantly improved, with Palestinian officials accusing Israel of failing to meet its obligations under the ceasefire agreement, including reopening crossings and allowing agreed quantities of food, medical and shelter supplies to enter.

Since the agreement took effect on Oct. 10, Israeli forces have committed hundreds of violations through shelling and gunfire, killing 601 Palestinians and injuring 1,607 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The US announced in mid-January the start of the agreement’s second phase, which includes further Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, launching reconstruction efforts and disarming Hamas and other Palestinian factions.

The war that began on Oct. 8, 2023 and lasted two years killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and wounded over 171,000 others, according to Palestinian health authorities. The conflict also destroyed about 90% of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure, with the UN estimating reconstruction costs at roughly $70 billion.

*Writing by Lina Altawell