As Ramadan commenced, Palestinians embarked on their fasting amid a backdrop of stalled ceasefire negotiations, escalating hunger and the ongoing devastation wrought by Israel's five-month-old assault on Gaza. The holy month, typically a time of communal joy and reflection, is overshadowed by the grim reality of a conflict that has claimed over 30,000 Palestinian lives and left vast swaths of Gaza in shambles. (AP Video: Wafaa Shurafa)