Khalil Zaanin and his cousin Jamila are walking on their farmland in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, on Oct. 28th 2014. Jamila’s home was bombed and completely destroyed during the war in 2014. Her family was forced to move to her relatives.
Jost Franko
Farming on the Frontline
[ EPF 2017 – SHORT LIST ]
In the land from where the eyes can see the Israeli border, Palestinian farmers try to make their living producing agricultural goods such as strawberries, oranges, grapefruits, olives, etc. The war in 2014, that lasted almost two months, has left the majority of Gazan farmers living in the buffer zones with their houses demolished or their land bulldozed – in worst cases, both. In 50 days long war that Israel called “Operation Protective Edge” more than 2,200 Palestinian lives were lost and about 17,200 homes totally destroyed, after 20,000 tons of explosive had been dropped on Gaza.
After the war, I decided I should return to Gaza, to work with the same farming families I’ve worked with in 2013, and the comparison was devastating. Some neighborhoods were unrecognizable, leveled to the ground. Almost all of the families I knew have lost their home. They were forced to move to United Nations schools and live in overcrowded classrooms, or other shelter homes. “I’ve been through dozens of wars, I’ve witnessed everything. Our home was always affected, but not to this dimensions,” Mohammed Abu Daqqa recalls. “But when I hear stories from others, I’m just thankful my family is alive,” he says.
A rubbled farm and demolished mosque are seen in Khuza’a, Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Palestine, on Nov. 3rd 2014.
Hunting equipment for birds is seen inside the 300m buffer zone in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Nov. 3rd 2014. In spite of risk of getting killed by sniper fire, farmers hunt birds inside the 300m buffer zone, that Israel established as a tampon zone between Gaza and Israel. The farmers say they have nothing else to lose and that they have to live on something.
Khalil Zaanin is seen in his living room, in his home in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, Palestine, on Nov. 7th 2014. Khalil Zaanin’s farm was hit several times by an F-16 missiles and bulldozed completely by the Israeli army, during the war in 2014. His water well was destroyed and it took him a month to repair it. His house, which is located directly at the Erez border crossing, the only border crossing with Israel, was partially ruined. Khalil says that it is a life of no guarantees what so ever, you cannot plan anything. In 2008 he decided not to invest in the house anymore, because during every conflict, the houses located at the buffer zone get affected.
Jihan Abu Daqqa, checks her children’s homework, before they go to school, in their home in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Palestine, on Nov. 3, 2013. Jihan Abu Daqqa is checking her children’s homework before they go to school. She finished studying Law, but stays at home and helps her husband with the farm. Jinan and Mohammad always help kids study.
Daughter of Mohammed Abu Daqqa is seen on the playground on the roof of their house in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Palestine, on Nov. 5, 2013.
Azmi Qudiah’s wife is seen making coffee in their damaged home in Khuza’a, Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Nov. 2nd 2014. Their family house was damaged for the 7th time. During the war, they evacuated to Khan Younis and upon return, found that their rabbits, chicken and sheep have been killed and their land was bulldozed. – they’re only left with 10 pigeons. Because most of the rooms a rubbled and completely damaged, they rented a house, so they can live together again.
A TV set in a resting area on a farm in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Nov. 2nd 2014.
Ms. Abu Rauk is burning the overgrown bush on her farmland in Khan Younis on Nov. 3rd 2014.
Donkey in east Rafah, Gaza Strip, Palestine, on Nov 9th 2013.
A tree in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Palestine, on Nov. 6th 2013.
Khalil Zaanin’s farm was bulldozed and hit several times by F-16 missiles. His water well was ruined and it took him a month to repair it. During my 2013 visit in the same time of the year, Khalil and his workers were already harvesting the plants. This year, they had nothing to harvest. “It’s a life with no guarantees what so ever… whether you have plans or not, it doesn’t matter,” says Khalil.
During this period of a year (November), it’s olive harvesting season. This year, instead of harvesting, Samir Al Daberi from Rafah, had to hire workers to help him cut and remove the completely destroyed olive tree plantation from his land.
Farmers from Gaza, are an example of the collateral damage of every conflict – civilians trapped in between the two fighting sides.
Khalil Zaanin is seen with his nephew Meera in his home in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, Palestine, on Oct. 28th 2014. Khalil Zaanin’s farm was hit several times by an F-16 missiles and bulldozed completely by the Israeli army, during the war in 2014. His water well was destroyed and it took him a month to repair it.
The only remaining of a farm is seen in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Nov. 2nd 2014.
Samir Al Daberi is seen walking in his bulldozed land near the buffer zone in Rafah, southern Gaza, Palestine, on Nov. 6th 2014. Samir got his leg amputated during the second war in Gaza. His farm in Rafah was bulldozed during the war in 2014, so he had to hire workers to remove ruined olive trees. Al Daberi family used to live in the farm, but their house was destroyed during the last war, so they had rent another home.
Kemal Abu Rauk and his wife are seen burning the overgrown bush in their farmland in Khan Younis, Palestine, on Nov. 3rd 2014.
A farmer is seen working in a green house in Khuza’a, Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Oct. 31st 2014.
Hala Abu Daqqa is seen eating her lunch in the family’s farmland in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Palestine, on Nov. 3rd 2014. The Abu Daqqa’s house was rubbled, the family has been living in a shelter home in an United Nation school in Khan Younis for three months now.
Azmi Qudiah stands in front of damaged home in Khuza’a, Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Palestine, on Nov. 2nd 2014. Their family house was damaged for the 7th time. During the war, they evacuated to Khan Younis and upon return, found that their rabbits, chicken and sheep have been killed – they’re only left with 10 pigeons. Because most of the rooms a rubbled and completely damaged, they’ve recently rented a house, so they can live together again.
Khalil Zaanin and his nephew Meera are seen walking in the rouble of his relatives home, next to his house in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza, Palestine, on Oct. 28th 2014.
Sami Qudiah is seen in his severely damaged home in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, Palestine, on Nov. 1st 2014. They evacuated the house during Ramadan in July, after three of his kids were injured by an Israeli tank shell, that was fired at their house. Sami says, the kids still have shrapnel in their bodies. Their house and their belongings were destroyed for the 4th time. His farmland was bulldozed and used as a military base camp for Israeli ground operations. Sami Qudiah and his family spend their daytime at their damaged house and stay with their relatives during nights.
Palestinian children and a farmer gather near a greenhouse at the farm in Msabbah area in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, Palestine, on Nov. 6, 2013.
Short Bio
Jost Franko is a young documentary photographer born in Slovenia in 1993. His work is mostly focused on long-term projects exploring domestic and international social issues, and his themes often touch on the loss of traditional values in the modern world. After reaching his legal adult hood, Franko started travelling to conflict and post conflict zones to examine and document the impact and consequences of war on civilian population.
Franko’s work has been, among others, published by TIME, Newsweek, The New Yorker, Sunday Times Magazine, Washington Post and Al Jazeera America.
By the age of 16, Franko won the Slovenia Press Photo reportage of the year award and later on joined VII Mentor Program, as the youngest member ever to be affiliated with VII.
In 2014, Franko was awarded a Watchdog prize (special achievements in journalism) for his work by Slovenian Association of Journalists. He was also selected as a 2015 TED Fellow, as one of the 20 change-makers from all over the fields.
