Muslims mark Ramadan in Brooklyn with heavy hearts as war rages in Gaza
NEW YORK -- Monday marked the first day of Ramadan, the holiest month of the year for Muslims. Nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide will fast and pray from sunrise to sundown for 30 days.
In Brooklyn, lights strung between lamp posts on 5th Avenue in Bay Ridge illuminate at night, when the daily fast is broken with prayers and a meal.
"The purpose of praying and Ramadan and fasting itself is to humble yourself as a person and to get closer to Allah," said Yana Guzman.
Muslims in the neighborhood said they're going into this holy month with heavy hearts as they witness the continued suffering in Gaza.
"I feel like with the fasting and stuff like that, it's a better understanding of what people are going through in Gaza, being hungry. We are as a people experiencing it at the same time, you know being hungry. We're humbling ourselves for Allah and for the people who are struggling right now," said Guzman.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, nearly 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war started five months ago.
Over the weekend, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Ramadan season won't slow down Israel's attacks in Gaza. Netanyahu vowed to eradicate Hamas after it attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and killed 1,200 people.
Locally, Muslims said now is the time to pray for help for their brothers and sisters in Gaza.
"We believe that during Ramadan our prayers are more heard. So I'm hoping that's the case and we'll always pray for our people in Gaza," said Mohamed Suleman. "That's all we can do right now, from here at least."
Ramaden ends April 9 at sundown.