Gaza's Olive Harvest: A Season of Loss and Resilience
As the olive harvest season unfolds in Gaza, families like Rehan Shurab's are grappling with the profound impact of war on their cherished traditions. Located in the Ma'an area, east of Khan Yunis, Rehan joins her family in picking olives, a practice steeped in cultural significance. However, this year, the joy of the harvest is overshadowed by the absence of many relatives displaced by conflict. Rehan reflects, "The season is tasteless" without the shared customs that once filled their days with laughter and song. The olive tree, a symbol of Palestinian identity and connection to the land, stands as a poignant reminder of what has been lost.
The olive harvest, which typically begins in October and lasts until mid-November, has been drastically affected by ongoing violence. Farmers in southern Gaza have opted to start picking earlier this year, fearing that political developments could jeopardize their harvest, much like last year's season that coincided with the outbreak of war on October 7, 2023. The quality and quantity of olives have diminished significantly due to displacement, lack of agricultural supplies, and destruction of farmland. Rehan laments, "The olives are small and not like they were in previous years," attributing this to the inability of farmers to care for their lands due to fear and resource shortages.
The Impact of Conflict on Gaza's Agriculture
The ongoing conflict has not only disrupted the harvest but has also led to the destruction of vast areas of olive groves. According to the Ministry of Agriculture in Gaza, the war has resulted in the bulldozing of 40,500 dunams of land, severely impacting the local olive production. Before the conflict, Gaza boasted around two million olive trees, producing significant quantities of olives for both pickling and oil production. However, the current season is marked by a deficit of 2,500 tons of pickled olives and 4,000 tons of olive oil due to the destruction and ongoing restrictions on agricultural supplies.
Farmers like Youssef Shurab and Mohammed Qudaih express their despair over the poor quality of this year’s olives, with many trees either bulldozed or left neglected. The few operational olive presses in Gaza face challenges due to power outages, fuel shortages, and the lack of sufficient olives to process. As Qudaih notes, the meager harvest from his 50 olive trees is not enough to sustain his family, highlighting the dire situation faced by many in the region.
Despite the challenges, the spirit of resilience remains strong among Gaza's farmers, who continue to work their lands and preserve their heritage, even in the face of overwhelming adversity.
