In brief
Farmers in Gaza are witnessing extensive damage to their livelihoods due to over a year of ongoing conflict, resulting in massive loss of land, equipment, and even lives.
In the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia, Yousef Saqer, a 24-year-old farmer, reflects on the destruction of his greenhouses and irrigation systems by military tanks. "That is all gone now," he mourns. The shift has forced farmers to abandon modern machinery, reverting to traditional farming techniques using hand tools as they struggle to rebuild their ruined fields.In Beit Lahia, what was once a collaborative effort among neighbors to grow food has turned into a heartbreaking scene of loss and resilience. Saqer's once-understood world of farming has disintegrated, leaving him to sift through the ashes of destroyed greenhouses. This devastating reality is compounded further by continuous military offensives targeting alleged Hamas positions, causing additional chaos in the agricultural landscape.The situation is poignant; growers are not just battling the immediate impacts of war but are mourning the loss of their livelihoods and communities. Saqer's somber reminder of how quickly they returned "to the old ways of doing everything" underscores the depth of the crisis. The persistence of conflict puts their futures in jeopardy, as each day presents a battle not just for survival but for the very essence of their way of life.
