Every October marks the traditional time for the olive harvest in Gaza.
Last October, we celebrated our annual olive-picking day in our orchard in Beit Hanoun. The entire family – young and old – gathered to harvest the olives and press them for the purest oil.
The crop was abundant, and just two days before 7 October, we stored the olives for the year ahead
But our world changed. The sounds of explosions replaced birdsong, and the laughter in our home was silenced by fear. We fled, leaving behind our house, our orchard and a lifetime of memories.
Although a year has passed we still struggle to grasp the enormity of what we have lost. My husband and I sit together sometimes, laughing bitterly, remembering how we once had 100 olive trees. Now only two remain – a reminder of both our past and our uncertain future. ….more
