BEIT LAHIA, Gaza Strip — Since the end of the winter storm that struck the region Dec. 12-14, brothers Mahmoud and Ashraf Filfil have devoted their time to repairing what they can of their land, which was planted with strawberries. The land had been flooded with torrential rains, causing extensive damage to the crops. The harvest had just begun at the end of November.
Every April, the brothers prepare the soil, seedlings and greenhouses for September, when the seedlings are planted. During the harvest, the strawberries are picked and marketed locally and globally.