Istanbul –

Muslims around the world celebrated the Eid al-Fitr holiday on Wednesday, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. But the worsening crisis in Gaza and an expected Israeli military offensive on the city of Rafah after six months of war have cast a shadow over the events.

“We should not forget our brothers and sisters in Palestine,” Imam Abdulrahman Moussa said in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. “They were subjected to unreasonable aggression and massive violence, and the world watched in silence.”

In a holiday message, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed support for Gaza, which he called a “bleeding wound on the conscience of humanity.”

In Istanbul, thousands of worshipers gathered at the Aya Sofia Mosque to pray, some carrying Palestinian flags and chanting slogans in support of the people of Gaza. The United Nations and partners warn that more than one million people in Gaza face a looming threat of famine, with almost no one able to survive. Allow aid to enter.

Elsewhere, people express gratitude for the abundance they have after a month of fasting and reflection. Markets around the world are packed with shoppers ahead of the Eid holiday. Residents left the city one after another and returned to the countryside to celebrate with their loved ones.

In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, nearly three-quarters of the population participate in the annual homecoming, known locally as “mudik.”

Ridho Alfian, a civil servant who lives in the Jakarta area and is traveling to Lampung province on the southern tip of Sumatra, said: “It’s a good time to reconnect and recharge the energy that has been spent away from home for almost a year. It’s the same as charging.”

For Arini Dewi, Eid is a day of escape from financial hardship during Ramadan. “Despite the increase in food prices, I am happy to celebrate the Eid holiday,” said the mother of two.

Jakarta’s Istiqlal Grand Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, was packed with worshipers performing morning prayers.

In his sermons, preachers called on people to pray for Gaza’s Muslims, who are suffering after six months of war.

“Now is the time for Muslims and non-Muslims to show humanitarian solidarity because the conflict in Gaza is not a religious war but a humanitarian issue,” said Gimli Ashidiki, chairman of the advisory board of the Indonesian Council of Mosques.

In Berlin, believers from Benin, Ghana, Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey reflected the situation around the world.

Azhra Ahmad, a 45-year-old mother of five, said: “On this day we express our gratitude for what we have here and help the poor who face war and starve. “

In Pakistan, authorities deployed more than 100,000 police and paramilitary forces to maintain security at mosques and markets.

In Malaysia, ethnic Malay Muslims held morning prayers in mosques across the country weeks after a convenience store chain caused an uproar over socks emblazoned with the word “Allah.” Many people find it offensive to associate the word with feet or to use it inappropriately.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called for unity and reconciliation in a speech on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, saying no group should be marginalized on the basis of religion or any other reason.

“We must remain steadfast, resolute and unwavering in our commitment to fostering values ​​and building a dignified nation,” he said. “However, we must not take this as a license to insult, destroy or disrupt the cultural practices and way of life of others or Chance.”