70 Volunteers Replant Hope at Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital

By VirentaNews Staff — May 10, 2026

In the shadow of bombed-out corridors and shattered operating rooms, 70 volunteers gathered at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City to carry out an act both simple and profound: planting olive trees amid the ruins. Once the largest medical complex in Gaza, al-Shifa lies in ruins after months of intense bombardment. Yet, in its courtyard, green saplings now rise from the rubble—each one a quiet declaration that life, memory, and resistance endure. According to the World Health Organization, 90% of the hospital’s infrastructure has been rendered nonfunctional since the start of the conflict in October 2023, leaving only emergency services intermittently operational. The tree-planting initiative, led by local medics and youth groups, transforms a site of trauma into a living monument to resilience.

A Symbol Rooted in History

The olive tree is more than an agricultural staple in Palestine—it is a cultural emblem of steadfastness, or sumud. For generations, Palestinian families have passed down olive groves as inheritances, anchoring identity to the land. The planting at al-Shifa is not merely ecological restoration; it is an assertion of continuity in the face of erasure. As Israeli airstrikes reduced entire neighborhoods to dust, hospitals like al-Shifa became emblematic of humanitarian collapse. The United Nations has documented over 200 attacks on healthcare facilities in Gaza since October 2023, with al-Shifa repeatedly targeted despite its protected status under international law. By reintroducing greenery into a space synonymous with suffering, volunteers are reclaiming narrative control—reframing al-Shifa not as a ruin, but as a site of rebirth.

From Rubble to Renewal

The operation began at dawn, with volunteers using shovels and bare hands to clear debris from the hospital’s central courtyard. They removed twisted metal, shattered glass, and remnants of medical equipment—each piece a relic of the facility’s former function. Donated saplings, some grown from cuttings of ancient trees in the West Bank, were carefully planted in soil amended with compost brought in from nearby farms. The initiative was coordinated by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in partnership with local agricultural cooperatives and youth activists. Medical staff who have continued working in the hospital’s basement clinics joined the effort during brief reprieves from patient care. One nurse, Amal Nassar, told Reuters, “Every tree is a promise. We are not leaving. We are not broken.”

More Than a Gesture

While critics may dismiss the planting as symbolic theater, organizers argue it has tangible psychological and environmental benefits. Urban greening projects in post-conflict zones—from Sarajevo to Beirut—have been shown to reduce collective trauma and restore communal cohesion. The olive trees, expected to live for centuries, will outlast the current generation and serve as living memorials to those lost. Moreover, once mature, they could yield oil, offering a modest source of sustenance and income. The project also draws attention to the broader environmental devastation of the war: the United Nations Environment Programme estimates that over 40 million tons of debris have been generated in Gaza, contaminating soil and water supplies. Replanting is both ecological repair and a challenge to the slow pace of international reconstruction efforts, which have so far failed to deliver meaningful infrastructure recovery.

Implications for Gaza’s Future

The restoration of al-Shifa, even in symbolic form, has far-reaching implications for Gaza’s social and medical future. With only 17 of 36 hospitals partially functioning, according to the WHO, access to care remains a crisis. The presence of medical workers among the volunteers underscores their commitment despite extreme risk—over 250 healthcare workers have been killed since October. The trees also represent a challenge to narratives of passive victimhood, emphasizing agency and foresight. For displaced families returning to flattened neighborhoods, the sight of greenery in a once-dominant hospital offers a rare sign of stability. If sustained, such grassroots initiatives could form the foundation of community-led reconstruction, filling the void left by stalled international aid.

Expert Perspectives

Dr. Rania Al-Yazji, a public health expert at the Institute of Community and Public Health in Bethlehem, views the initiative as “a form of psychological resistance.” She notes, “In contexts of prolonged occupation and violence, acts of care—whether tending to the sick or planting trees—become radical.” Conversely, some analysts caution against romanticizing small-scale efforts amid systemic destruction. Dr. Mouin Naqqash, a regional health policy researcher, warns that “symbolism cannot replace operating theaters or reliable electricity.” Still, both agree that community-led actions like this reflect a deeper need for dignity and self-determination in recovery processes.

What remains to be seen is whether such grassroots resilience will be met with meaningful international support. The replanting at al-Shifa may inspire similar efforts across war-damaged areas, but long-term survival of the trees depends on water, security, and sustained access—conditions still uncertain in Gaza. As peace negotiations stall and humanitarian access remains restricted, the saplings stand as fragile testaments to hope, their roots seeking purchase in a land still trembling with aftershocks of war.

Source: Al Jazeera