Bilal Samour 24 a Gaza-based university student and a farmer begins his day along with his brother and father with a risky adventure by farming his family’s land along the eastern borders of Khan Yonis with their land only dozens of meters away from the border fence.
By 4:00 PM on Wednesday 30/11/2016 both Ahmed and Bilal prepare their spraying equipment to spray their crops with chemicals to get rid of harmful insects which damage their squash arugula and parsley crops.
Mohammed works with his father in a 20-acre piece of land they rented. They plant it with vegetables then sell them the price of which constitutes the main source of living for the family.
Farmers are still committed to their lands despite the Israeli daily harassment against them. Israeli soldiers stationed at the eastern borders fire at farmers from their military towers and vehicles.
Samour told the PIC reporter “To work as a farmer at the border on your land means you will be at the fire line even if you are not holding a gun.”
Samour noted that Israeli soldiers have advanced equipment and nightscopes which allow them to see everything in the area day and night and identify farmers from others yet they continue to harass and scare farmers on daily basis.
He added that farming is his family’s only source of income and it is the source of income for hundreds of families noting that most targeting of farmers take place during daylight. He stressed that any farmer who dares to work or move during the night would be immediately shot at.
“Farmers work here alone and they face all dangers alone. They don’t receive any kind of support from the official bodies in case of loss” he continued highlighting the heroism of Palestinian farmers and their resilience in face of the Israeli occupation’s harassment and their steadfastness and love and commitment to their land.
The Israeli occupation forces systematically launch their assaults against Palestinian farmers at the eastern borders of Khan Yonis during the day and bans and imposes a curfew on them during the night.
