AMNA NAWAZ: Muslims around the world right# now are marking the month of Ramadan.

Observing Muslims abstain from food and water# from sunup to sundown every day and gather to## break their fasts during the iftar meal.

But,# this year, the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza with## mass civilian deaths and massive suffering among# Gazans has added a new layer to this holy month.

We spoke with Muslims at a local# mosque in suburban Maryland.

HAKEEMAH CUMMINGS, Maryland:# My name is Hakeemah Cummings.

NASIF SIKDER, Maryland: Nasif Sikder.

ARWA RAHMAN, Maryland: My name is Arwa Rahman.

MUHAMMAD ZIA MEHMOOD, Maryland: Muhammad Zia.

KEVSER OZER, Maryland: My name is Kevser Ozer.

NASIF SIKDER: Yes, Ramadan, every year,## this is something that we look# forward to.

We count down the days.

And it's -- the whole tone, the# whole vibe changes during Ramadan.

HAKEEMAH CUMMINGS: So, I have three young# girls, 8, 7 and 1 year.

So we put lights## around the house.We decorate.

We have# a welcome Ramadan party.

We try to come## together with families and just make it# so that this month is special for them.

KEVSER OZER: We come and pray here# after our five daily prayers.

At night,## we have special prayers and we# do it together.

It's a blessing.

MUHAMMAD ZIA MEHMOOD: So, iftars are amazing.# And it's partly because everyone's hungry and## all the food is right there.

So you're really# looking forward to this moment in the day.

And you're doing it with people you# love, with your friends and family.

ARWA RAHMAN: We obviously fast from sunrise to# sunset.

And also we use this month to try to,## like, eat a lot, but also give food a# lot and give as much charity as we can,## so we can feel closer to also# those who don't have what we have.

MUHAMMAD ZIA MEHMOOD: This Ramadan, Muslims# all over the world are definitely thinking## of our brothers and sisters in Gaza# and in Palestine in general and the## conditions they're in.

And we're praying for them.

HAKEEMAH CUMMINGS: It's supposed to be a high# time of, like, mood and joy and all of that.

And## you come in feeling helpless and almost maybe# even angry or all of these negative emotions.

ARWA RAHMAN: This might be the most difficult# Ramadan yet because of -- they don't have enough## food and sometimes even water.

And we're# always seeing how many kids are suffering,## where they're literally starving, and# their parents also going to the north## to find food for them, and then coming# back to their children under the rubbles.

We feel more like we don't want to waste food# at all.

Like, even if we don't like a food,## we still want to eat it because we always# think about what's happening in Gaza,## where they're eating lemon# and grass soup and dirt pies.

MUHAMMAD ZIA MEHMOOD: With what's# going on in Gaza during this Ramadan,## I think it comes with increased awareness# of the privilege that we enjoy of having## family around us, of having food and# water, and knowing that there's so## many on the different part of the world# that are being deprived of these things.

KEVSER OZER: We are giving more this# Ramadan.

Especially if there's, like,## a special fund-raising for Gazan people or# demonstration, we have to be there.

Like,## we are trying our best to be with# them and thinking about them.

HAKEEMAH CUMMINGS: There was also other# people who were kind of echoing that,## saying that the people of Gaza are -- they're# suffering in an unprecedented way.

And so we## should kind of dumb down our Ramadan, because the# joy and the celebration is not a time for that.

The way I think about it is that it's a time# to do it even more.

I have signs outside of## my house.

And, like, it's something that I# want to celebrate in the face of all of this## to show that there's nothing that could ever# take away Ramadan from us.

We increase and## we do it more on purpose because this# is our month to celebrate regardless.