The olive tree, symbol of Palestine and mute victim of Israel’s war on Gaza
Al Jazeera
The loss of these steadfast companions has left deep scars on the hearts of many Palestinians in Gaza.
Al-Fukhari, Gaza – Ahlam Saqr, 50, cried on the morning her sons started cutting branches off her olive trees to burn them for fires to cook, stay warm and heat water for bathing.
It was a matter of survival, she says, to enable the family to make it through the relentless Israeli bombing of Gaza. But that did not make it any easier to watch her four beloved trees being taken apart.
“The house felt so empty. The trees had their place in the house and it became dark when they were gone. We have beautiful memories with them,” she said.
Gaza is under a brutal Israeli bombardment and siege that has displaced most of its population and at the same time prevented fuel, gas for stoves, and other essentials from entering.
In the midst of human misery and crisis, a series of other tragedies have unfolded as families are forced to destroy their trees in order to have firewood for survival.
