It is currently strawberry season in the Gaza Strip, a time when the fields are traditionally planted with strawberries in September and harvested in November. However, due to the ongoing conflict, these fields have become battlefields. Despite its reputation as a fertile region for strawberry production, Beit Lahia, in north Gaza, has suffered the destruction of its strawberry harvest. Even amidst the horror of Israel’s war on Gaza, the absence of the usual strawberry produce during the winter season is significant.
Fikri Rofiul Haq, a medical volunteer from Indonesia with the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) based at the Indonesia Hospital in Beit Lahia, worries about the staff’s lack of food and the hospital operating at only 30-40 percent capacity amid Israel’s attacks on hospitals.
The Indonesia Hospital and other hospitals in Gaza are struggling to receive supplies due to the conflict. Trapped in the hospital grounds, Haq and other volunteers continue to provide medical treatment and document the tragedies unfolding around them. Despite the danger, they are committed to staying and helping the people of Gaza find fuel, food, and medical supplies.