Gaza: Two carpenters from Gaza have created what they claim to be the world's largest "Fanoos", or lantern.
Tinkering away at a tiny workshop that barely fits them both, Mustafa Masoud, 29, and Montaser Masoud, 17, designed and built the lantern — an emblem associated with Ramadan and considered to be a part of the holy month's traditions.
Merging Islamic traditions with modern art, the duo wanted to create in hope-starved Gaza, what they say is the biggest lantern in the world.
And on Battalion Square on the west side of Gaza city, residents lit the wooden lantern, which is so big it is said to be qualified to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.
Hatem Al Shaikh Khalil, public relations officer at Gaza Municipality, said: "We supported this project, supplying power and space."
Tri-coloured design
The 16-metre high and six-metre wide lantern is covered in red, yellow and blue leather and has even been decorated with coloured ropes and sashes. It will stay in the square for the entire month of fasting.
Mustafa Masoud said: "I searched through the internet for the world's biggest Ramadan lantern which happens to be in Saudi Arabia. I looked at the photos and studied it so that I could build a bigger one and enter the Guinness book."
Amal Al Saraj, a housewife, came with her family to have photos taken beside the huge lantern, saying: "It's nice seeing such lovely work here in Gaza. We hardly ever see something extraordinary like this."
Others agreed and said with all the darkness around them in Palestine they welcomed this emblem of light.
