Gaza beekeeper revives apiary on rooftop amid war devastation

Ibrahim al-Dabba, head of the Gaza Strip's Beekeepers Cooperative, relocated the remnants of his apiary to a rooftop in Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood after the October 2023 war devastated the region's beekeeping industry. Before the conflict, the sector comprised over 40,000 hives and supported more than 1,000 families, but the fighting destroyed more than 95% of it, with al-Dabba losing around 400 hives. Unable to return to his former fields, now under Israeli military control, he and his sons now manage roughly 35 hives on a building roof, using protective gear and smokers.

Despite lacking proper supplies and facing a blockade on beekeeping equipment, the bees have begun to settle, offering a symbol of hope amid ongoing hardship. The broader humanitarian situation remains dire, with tens of thousands displaced and essential goods tightly restricted. Al-Dabba says the bees' adaptation fuels his optimism for future peace and security in Gaza.