Three Farmers Killed in Israeli Strike Near Gaza Yellow Line
Abdeen cousins died tending crops east of al-Qarara, leaving families grieving lost harvests and livelihoods amid ongoing agricultural dangers.
Three Palestinian farmers from the Abdeen family were killed by an Israeli strike while tending crops east of al-Qarara in southern Gaza. The incident occurred near the so-called Yellow Line just as the men prepared for a harvest they had worked toward for months despite persistent regional dangers.
Abdul Hamid Mohammed Abdeen, thirty-six, died alongside his cousins Lafi Fayez Abdeen, thirty-nine, and Taysir Fayez Abdeen, twenty-eight. They had spent months planting, watering, and guarding their land because the crops represented their primary source of income during the widespread economic disruption caused by the ongoing war.
Fadwa Abdeen, sister of Abdul Hamid, recounted that her brother had been awake since dawn on the day of the attack. After three strangers attempted to cross the farmland, the farmers prevented their entry. Minutes later, Abdul Majeed left briefly, returning to find his brother and cousins killed while a nephew survived the assault.
Ambulances struggled to reach the remote area, forcing Abdul Majeed to transport the bodies to a hospital himself. The family initially withheld the tragic news from the farmers’ father, who was recovering from cancer surgery in Egypt. His wife remained with him as relatives in Gaza confirmed the deaths during burial preparations.
Before the war, Abdul Hamid worked in sweet shops but turned to agriculture for survival when businesses closed. He cultivated jute mallow, eggplants, and zucchini on his father’s land, investing in an electric generator for irrigation. Fadwa noted that Israeli military vehicles frequently opened fire while drones hovered overhead, creating constant fear.
Palestinian farmers near the Yellow Line face increasing hazards from gunfire and attacks, pushing many away from their fields. Gaza once had around 170,000 dunams of agricultural land, but vast areas have been destroyed. Despite these risks, many continue cultivating accessible plots, hoping to reap the fruits of their labor amidst destruction.