With the beginning of a clear day and a delightful morning atmosphere in the area of “Mawasi” Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip famous for palm and guava trees; the farmer “Salem” with a group of workers prepare for the start of a long-awaited season. As soon as the sun comes out of its hide and shed its rays on the pendulous date branches the young Salem Al-Agha stands with his cousins (Ahmed and Mahmoud) near the palm trees in their ten-dunum land; preparing to harvest the dates.
As a bride preparing for her wedding red date clusters are prepared to be picked by Salem and then to be shipped to local and international markets.
With the yellow sand and sea waves’ melody in the background al-Agha gets ready in front of the Palestinian Information Center correspondent to climb up the palm trees after wearing the so-called “Al-Mitlaa” which helps him climb. In the other hand he holds the chopper and “Mashanna” (a container to put the dates in).
The 30-year-old Agha begins to shake the date clusters put them in the “Mashanna” and dangle it down with a rope to be picked by the other worker who was wearing a colorful kuffiyeh on his head and then the other worker places the bowl amongst a group of workers who start sorting the dates out in different bowls.
Once Salem finishes harvesting the dates from the palm tree that he climbed he begins to use the “Mitlaa” again to help him climb down. Then the workers begin to move the clusters to the truck that waits on the gate of the farm which will transport the dates to another place.
When the harvest is finished the truck moves to the Khan Younis Agricultural Cooperative Society to begin sorting and packing the dates in special boxes in preparation for its exportation to the West Bank via the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing.
In a farm-like place a group of workers awaits the arrival of the truck carrying the dates that are going to be placed on a large table. The process starts with hand sorting and then the dates are packed in cardboard boxes ready to be exported.
Red-colored dates are one of the most famous species due to its ability to cope with the climatic conditions prevailing in the Gaza Strip and the salinity of water of Gaza’s coast.
The dates’ season in the Gaza Strip starts in mid-September and continues until late November and is a source of livelihood for many farmers.
