Forty-seven-year-old Jamal (not his real name) has been farming for almost 30 years and is a second-generation farmer, renting land in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza. He produces a range of fruit and vegetables but specialises in growing strawberries, commonly referred to in Gaza as ‘red gold’ to reflect their quality and economic value.
'Beit Lahia is known for strawberry farming. The soil and water are good. Strawberry juice, strawberry jam, fresh pastries and cake are all very traditional in Gaza,' Jamal explained.
'Strawberries are among the most profitable crops for us farmers. Their distinctive red colour symbolises beauty and life,' he added.
Before the war began, farming accounted for around 10% of Gaza’s economy, with more than half a million people relying on growing crops, herding animals or fishing to support their families.
'Strawberries used to be one of the most important crops in northern Gaza. It represented a significant share of exports. It provided us with a good income and created job opportunities for workers and farmers,' said Jamal.
Strawberry farming was not just a way to earn a living. It was also a means through which families in northern Gaza would bond.
'The planting season is a joyful time, with all family members participating. We would pick and eat the ripe strawberries directly from the field,' he said.
Strawberry farming is labour-intensive to ensure seedlings mature into strawberries ripe for picking.
Jamal explained: 'I farmed strawberries in the traditional way. I pick the seeds from the nursery and transfer them to the land. Strawberry seedlings need 60 to 70 days to be ready for harvesting. It requires a lot of care and attention, like a child. It needs care at every moment and every stage of growth until harvest.'
But when the war in Gaza began in October 2023, Jamal’s life was turned upside down. His family was forced to flee their home at the start of the conflict and they have been repeatedly displaced since, each time pushed further and further away from the farm, making it impossible for Jamal to tend to his crops.
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The war has also had a direct and devastating impact on Jamal’s farm. 'My farm has been shelled and bulldozed. Agricultural land in the area was targeted and completely razed, which happened many times. Everything I owned - the land, the crops, the tractor, the farming supplies, were completely destroyed,' Jamal said.
'I have not been able to return to my land. The farm is now in a military zone where the Israeli army is present. The soil has dried out and the land has been impacted by explosives and bulldozing. The land is no longer suitable for farming,' he added.
This has had catastrophic consequences for Jamal’s livelihood. 'I lost 180 tonnes of strawberries and 120 tonnes of peppers. I lost my entire income. I am now in debt and unable to provide for my eight children,' Jamal said.
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Jamal’s experience is common for farmers across Gaza. Since the start of the war, 95% of Gaza’s cropland has been rendered unusable by Israeli military attacks and nearly three quarters of all greenhouses have been destroyed. More than three quarters of all land in Gaza is inaccessible to farmers and less than 5% available for planting. The situation in northern Gaza is particularly dire, where just 15 out of more than 3,000 hectares of farmland is usable.
The loss of agricultural land is even more of a concern, following the confirmation of famine in Gaza. Already, over 300 people have died of starvation, including more than 100 children. Children are dying at twice the rate of adults, their frail bodies unable to survive even a bout of diarrhoea. Mothers weakened by hunger are delivering premature babies and many can no longer produce the milk their newborns desperately need to survive.
Since the beginning of the war, more than 62,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, including around 18,500 children. Throughout the war, Christian Aid’s local partner, the Palestinian Agricultural Development Association (PARC) has been doing all it can to support people in Gaza, including by providing food packages to displaced families. During the ceasefire (January to March 2025), PARC was able to supply displaced farmers including Jamal with tomato seedlings to grow food in what little green space remains around the displacement sites where they now live.
Jamal has a clear message to the world: 'I ask the international community to work hard to stop the war in Gaza. We have lost everything; our children, our homes and we’ve also lost ourselves.'
