Ramazan begins today, Middle Eastern nations have announced, with the king of Saudi Arabia using the occasion to call for an end to the “heinous crimes” taking place in besieged Gaza, AFP reports.

Saudi Arabia said through its official SPA news agency on Sunday that the Supreme Court had announced “Monday, March 11, 2024, the beginning of the blessed month of Ramazan for this year”.

After the sighting of the crescent moon, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar also announced a Monday start for Ramazan through their own official news outlets.

Egypt’s Islamic advisory body, the Dar al-Ifta, likewise confirmed Ramazan was beginning on Monday, as it was in the Palestinian Territories including Gaza, and in Algeria and Tunisia.

Their neighbours Morocco and Libya said Ramazan would start on Tuesday.

Iran had earlier set the beginning of the holy month for Tuesday after its “Estehlal” moon observation office said it had not been possible to observe “the crescent of Ramazan”.

As he announced Tuesday as the start of Ramazan in Jordan, the kingdom’s Grand Mufti Ahmed Hasnat asked God to “relieve the anguish of our oppressed people in Gaza” and “lift affliction and aggression from them”.

Oman will also mark the first day of the month of fasting on Tuesday.