From under the rubble.. Sameh al-Aqqad brings his apiary back to life in Mawasi Khan Younis

In Mawasi Khan Younis, beekeeper Sameh al-Aqqad is trying to rebuild his apiary, destroyed by the war in the al-Qarara area. He collects remnants of wooden boxes and frames from under the rubble, and resumes caring for and dividing the bees. He suffers from a shortage of frames, wax, and medications, and devises alternative solutions. The sector has lost 98% of its apiaries, with only 2,000 beehives remaining out of 30,000.

In Mawasi Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, beekeeper Sameh al-Aqqad (41) is trying to rebuild his apiary, which was destroyed by the war in the al-Qarara area. During periods of calm, he would return to the destroyed areas to collect remnants of wooden boxes and frames from under the rubble. He had an apiary with about 100 hives and another with about 20 hives, almost completely destroyed by Israeli shelling. He collected about 60 hives from the remnants, starting with two surviving hives. He suffers from a severe shortage of frames, wax, and medications, and was forced to devise alternative solutions, such as placing strips on the frame. Tents, noise, and nighttime lights also affect bee behavior. According to Walid Abu Daqqa, director of the Beekeepers Association, the sector has lost 98% of its apiaries, from 25-30 thousand hives before the war to about 2,000-2,300 hives currently. 140-160 beekeepers out of 450 have managed to reactivate their apiaries to varying degrees. Al-Aqqad appeals to beekeepers around the world to support Gaza's beekeepers.