Khan Younis, Gaza – On the corner of Gaza’s main coastal street, Sami Al-Juraisi carefully scoops an assortment of pickles into small bags, a staple on every Palestinian table during Ramadan. Despite finding their way across destroyed roads, and rubble buildings— the remnants of Israel’s brutal war— customers continue to gather, many drawn by the spicy chili peppers that Gazans love. 

Each sale comes with an explanation—why pickles now cost three times what they did before the war, soaring to $7 per kilogram. Vegetable prices have skyrocketed, as have salt, packaging, and transportation costs. Yet demand persists, especially during Ramadan, when food remains a central comfort amid hardship.

Al-Juraisi, assisted by his eldest son, 12-year-old Waseem, only turned to pickling last year–a necessity after Israeli air strikes reduced his previous business to ashes. Left with nothing, he had no choice but to start over, supporting his four children: Sajaa, 10, William, 4, and his youngest daughter, just two years younger than Sajaa.

With the spectre of war never far, Al-Juraisi prepared his pickles in advance, ensuring he had stockpiles ready.

“Working with food during Ramadan is a good way to earn a living, just like all the small vendors and restaurants selling traditional dishes that see a boom this month,” he tells TRT World, his voice laced with both determination and unease. “But at any moment, war could return, forcing us to flee and leave everything behind.”

Broken economy

Across Gaza, small business owners are cautiously reopening, some in tents, others in half-collapsed buildings, as life strains towards normalcy.

More than half of Gaza’s buildings have been damaged by Israeli air strikes, yet shopkeepers persist, salvaging whatever materials they can. Restaurants, pharmacies, supermarkets and clothing stores emerge from the rubble, their owners clinging to whatever hope remains.  

Many restaurants have returned after carrying out necessary repairs and maintenance, particularly shawarma stands, kebab shops and grilled chicken eateries.

Some reopened just days before Ramadan, determined to serve customers fasting from dawn to dusk. But a new crisis quickly arose: on the second day of Ramadan Israeli forces shut border crossings, cutting off meat supplies, severely impacting businesses.

Abu Yazan Ahmed, who proudly reopened his grill restaurant two weeks before Ramadan and saw an initial surge in customers, now faces a grim reality. Without meat, he has no business.

“We’ve spent large sums on repairs. Cement, bricks, wood—everything is more expensive now. But we don’t know if we’ll recover our investment. The situation is precarious, and if war returns, we could lose everything,” he tells TRT World.

“But we can’t afford to surrender to this reality. Gaza thrives on work and life,” he adds.

Struggling to celebrate

Despite the shadow of war, Palestinians refuse to let go of Ramadan traditions. Street vendors still sell falafel, hummus, and fava beans. Sweet shops still offer qatayef, kunafa, and basbousa.

Nut and spice merchants remain busy, as do sellers of fresh herbs like arugula, parsley, coriander, and radishes — small but enduring reminders of life before war.

On a bustling street in the centre of Khan Younis, Zaki Abu Luli has reopened his home goods store—his second attempt at rebuilding. His first shop in Rafah was destroyed when Israeli forces overran the area in early May. Now, he cannot even visit his former home and business, as they lie in a no-return zone under the ceasefire agreement that ended on March 1.

With limited resources, Abu Luli displays what little merchandise he has on the ground. Shelves are a luxury he can’t afford. Customers inquire about prices, which have risen significantly since before the war.

"The biggest challenge was deciding to return to work," he admits. “There’s always the risk of Israeli targeting."

Still displaced, living in a tent in Al-Mawasi with his pregnant wife and four-year-old son Yusuf, Abu Luli clings to the hope that Ramadan might bring renewal.

"Last year, I spent Ramadan in Rafah. This year, I’m in a tent but at least my shop is open. It’s alive again,” he says. "The city centres are slowly regaining some of their old vibrancy despite the destruction.”

He adds that Ramadan serves as both an opportunity and a source of motivation, a chance for people to push back against “the grim reality in whatever ways they can.”

"That’s why people decorate their shops and even the remains of their homes," he says. “It’s the spirit of Gaza, the unbreakable will of its people.

"Are we expected to surrender to the destruction of buildings by also destroying our spirits? Of course not. Ramadan is the perfect time to bring joy to people’s hearts."

Unbreakable spirit of Gaza

Not far away, Umm Mahmoud Abdelqader and her daughters, Amal and Marwa, browse a home goods store.

The girls’ eyes linger on various items, but their mother gently reminds them of their limited means. Still, she tries to lift their spirits, purchasing a coffee thermos, a set of cups, and a small chocolate dish, small comforts for their tent, now pitched beside the ruins of their home.

Having returned to her neighbourhood in eastern Khan Younis just days before Ramadan, after repeated displacement to Al-Mawasi, she is determined to bring some joy to her family despite living among the ruins.

"Ramadan should be a time of happiness, so I bought some decorative paper and a small lantern for the tent, to create a different atmosphere," she tells TRT World.

The cycle of life

In another part of Gaza, near Salah al-Din Road, the Jouz W Loz sweets shop is decked out with festive Ramadan decorations, defying the destruction outside.

The pavement destroyed by Israeli bulldozers, the street unrecognisable, but inside, workers busily prepare qatayef, one of the most beloved Ramadan treats in Gaza.

During Israeli assaults, shop owner Mohammed Kawarea was forced to flee his home and business more times than he can count. Yet, he always returned. 

"I know that speaking of joy in Ramadan and reclaiming life feels cruel to those who have lost their homes and their world," he says.

"But Palestinians have always carved their way through rock, defeating despair, death, and ruin. That is what we are trying to do, win a moral victory and bring it to life on the ground."

He gestures toward the string lights above his shop. “A few decorations can pierce through the sorrow that weighs on people's chests.”

This article is published in collaboration with Egab.