GAZA CITY: Imad Al-Rayyes waited impatiently for the month of Ramadan so his restaurant could recoup some of the massive losses endured over the past year as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the Gaza Strip.
However, the Hamas-run government imposed a comprehensive closure from sunset until dawn during the holy month to combat an increasing number of infections, which served as the appetizer for his hardship entree.
“The most economically fruitful month for restaurants, particularly our restaurant, is the month of Ramadan, in which the iftar parties of companies and institutions are held,” Al-Rayyes, the manager of the LightHouse Restaurant on the Gaza beach, told Arab News.
“Charities hold banquets for the poor and others, which means abundant profits during this period. This year, the result was the exact opposite.”
News of the closure during iftar hours shocked residents as local businesses have had to make sacrifices.
“There has been a complete closure of the restaurant throughout the month,” Al-Rayyes said. “We do not offer delivery services, therefore we decided to close the restaurant completely. Which means we had to lay off 41 workers.”
Al-Rayyes cannot fulfill obligations to his workforce in the absence of income as he said Ramadan usually accounts for 30 percent of the annual revenue for the restaurant and café. There are still periodic expenses even under the closure, Al-Rayyes said, as government agencies have not provided any support.
Local protocols even add restrictions to the movement of vehicles on Friday and Saturday, which further impacted potential customers to the restaurant.
Many Palestinians typically have iftar with families in restaurants or on the beachfront during the spring and summer period, but not during the pandemic.
“This year, we did not feel the beautiful Ramadan atmosphere in terms of staying up at night and the only thing we feel is fasting,” Hana Al-Jarousha, a mother of four, told Arab News.
“I used to go out every Ramadan at least three times to have iftar in a restaurant and sometimes on the beachfront with friends and family. We spent the night there until the time of the suhoor or a little earlier, but this year there is nothing.”
The Gaza Strip has recorded more than 100,000 cases of COVID-19 since the first case was reported in August. Since then, 927 deaths have been recorded.
The financial loss has been catastrophic for the local tourism sector.
Iman Awad, vice chairman of the local restaurants and tourist establishments association, said the total closure has had a particular impact on restaurants, which usually rely on Ramadan for a financial boost.
“The month of Ramadan is the month of recovery for restaurants, the month of continuous work,” Awad told Arab News.
“The loss has been continuing for nearly a year. There was hope that restaurants would be open and people would be allowed to visit them during the month of Ramadan. But, unfortunately, the closure has been an obstacle to the restoration of the tourism sector.”
The total losses for the tourism sector in the Gaza Strip are estimated at more than $100 million while the workforce currently has decreased by 20 percent.
“This year, on a personal level, there was no Ramadan,” Awad said. “There was no family atmosphere, no markets, and there was no fun meeting with family and relatives, whether on the individual level or the level of tourism.”
