In the central Gaza Strip town of Deir Al‑Balah, a small tent now shelters a rebuilt seed bank that aims to preserve the enclave’s agricultural heritage. The effort, led by 71‑year‑old farmer Salama Muhanna, seeks to give Gaza’s remaining farmers a chance to plant crops on the scant land still available after two years of intense Israeli bombardment.
From destruction to modest renewal
Muhanna’s original “Bank of Seeds” was destroyed in early 2024 in the town of Qarara, shortly after the Hamas‑led attacks that triggered Israel’s large‑scale military response. Before the war, the facility stored about 70 tons of seed stock for 42 different crops, including black‑eyed peas, watermelon and sage—staples of Palestinian farming tradition. “We had refrigerators, solar power, a dryer, a seed‑cleaning and sorting machine – we had everything,” Muhanna recalled.
Today, with help from farmers who contributed what remained before the conflict, the rebuilt bank holds roughly 32 local seed varieties. The seeds are packed in burlap sacks and plastic containers and are being cultivated in fields that surround the temporary tent.
Local heirloom seeds as a resilient option
Heirloom seeds, which have been saved and replanted generation after generation, are more resilient than imported hybrid varieties. Muhanna says these native crops can better withstand the harsh conditions of Gaza’s limited arable land, offering a modest but vital source of food security for families who depend on agriculture.
According to a June report from Gaza’s Agriculture Ministry, before the war about 560,000 people relied wholly or partly on farming and fishing for their livelihoods. The seed bank’s contribution, while important, is “only a drop in the ocean” compared with the sector’s massive needs, noted Osama Al‑Mukhalalati, an agricultural engineer with the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Land constraints and security risks
Much of Gaza’s pre‑war farmland lies in areas under Israeli military occupation. The “Yellow Line,” originally intended as a withdrawal boundary for Israeli troops under the October 2025 cease‑fire, now marks a zone where many fields have become inaccessible. Israeli forces have reportedly moved concrete markers deeper into Hamas‑controlled territory, further limiting cultivable land.
Palestinian farmer Khaled Al‑Astal, who plants seeds from Muhanna’s bank just 500 metres from the Yellow Line, says he and other growers refuse to abandon their fields despite the danger of Israeli gunfire. “We only have about 25 % to 30 % left of Gaza. So we say: we are here on our land, and we will cultivate it despite them,” he said.
Humanitarian context
Israel’s tightening of import restrictions and humanitarian aid flows in 2025 was described by Palestinian officials and rights groups as collective punishment aimed at pressuring Hamas during cease‑fire talks. The restrictions have made locally produced seeds the “only lifeline” for many farmers, according to Mustafa Al‑Astal, who runs a nursery in Khan Younis.
While the seed bank cannot reverse the devastation of Gaza’s agricultural sector, it represents a grassroots effort to preserve food sovereignty and cultural heritage amid ongoing conflict and scarcity.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
