Beekeeping near the dangerous border fence in Gaza

Near the fence separating the Gaza Strip from Israel, beekeeper Miyasar Khoudayr caresses his queen bees, which survived the new deadly hostilities between the Palestinian armed movements and the Israeli army.

“The gas, rockets and dust produced by war can kill bees,” says Coudair, 29.

A few days before World Bee Day, celebrated on May 20, she went to inspect their hives, located a few hundred meters from the border fence, which was hit by Palestinian rockets and Israeli missiles last week.

During the five-day conflict, triggered by Israeli airstrikes that targeted Islamic Jihad but did not spare civilians, Ms Koudair was unable to get to the area where you see the armed movement’s flag flying in the distance, behind trees Can see happened.

He told AFP that three to four of his hives were destroyed in the retaliatory fire. But despite the dangers, it is far from the most populous areas of the micro-region, home to 2.3 million residents, that her bees are most at ease.

“We always put them in border areas because there are lots of trees and wild plants, without too many buildings or people,” says Miyasar Khoudair.

About 600 dunams (60 ha) of crops have been damaged by the cycle of violence, according to the press office of Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls the Gaza Strip, which was put under a ceasefire on 13 May.

They also estimated 207,000 euros in damage associated with attacks on hives, chicken coops and other farms.

The conflicts claimed the lives of 34 Palestinians, including one killed by a Palestinian rocket fired over Israeli territory.

According to Israeli emergency services, one person died on the Israeli side.

– “Honey for love” –

For a few days, daily life came to a halt and Ms. Khoudair was unable to sell her honey in a normally crowded mall in Gaza City.

He has several jars of different sizes and stuffed animals of Winnie the Pooh, a great lover of sweet nectar.

The beekeeper started his business a few months back after studying herbal medicine in Saudi Arabia.

“When I was in Saudi Arabia, I discovered their love and interest in honey, both a remedy and a supplement, at the lunch table,” she says.

She says that if the honey is of good quality, it can be used to cure certain diseases, concentration problems and even fertility.

The young woman, a secretary by training, is one of the rare residents of the Gaza Strip who have returned to the Palestinian territory under Israeli blockade since Hamas came to power 16 years ago.

Their activity allows them to avoid the fate of many of their fellow citizens in Gaza, where the unemployment rate is 45%, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“It is a very positive project, I only rely on myself,” she says proudly.

After checking each hive, which resulted in a few stings on her hands because she was not wearing gloves, Miyasar Khoudair calls for awareness in the interest of beekeeping products.

“Honey was mentioned in the Quran, we use it therapeutically, not just for consumption. We should support (produce) natural foods”, he concluded.