JERUSALEM - A day before an Israeli-Gaza truce was to take effect, two farmers from either side of the border dreamed of seeing battlefields turning into flower fields once more.

Ilan Isaacson and Majid Hadaiyed have both been hard hit by fighting that escalated after the Islamic militant Hamas group seized control of the Gaza Strip one year ago. Gaza militants often fire rockets from Palestinian farmland, striking Israeli growing areas. Israel's military responds with harsh land and air strikes on the Palestinian launching pads.

"I grow 40 acres of flowers and my business cost me $3 million," Hadaiyed said in an exchange between the two on Israel's Army Radio. "All of it is lost."

The rocket and mortar fire on Israel make it "impossible to work the land," Isaacson said.

The Egyptian-mediated truce is to begin Thursday and last for six months. Militants are to halt their attacks on Israel, which is to ease its bruising economic blockade of Gaza in turn.

Israel's closure of Gaza's crossings has cut off all exports from the territory, forcing many of its 40,000 farmers to stop tilling their land. Gaza economist Rami Abdu said growers have lost $88 million since the Hamas takeover.

"We are actually in the same boat, both in debt. Those who are hit are the farmers who just want to work the land," Isaacson said.

"I just want to wish him well," Hadaiyed, speaking in Hebrew, said in response.

The two men live about 15 kilometers away from each other, Hadaiyed in the town of Rafah and Isaacson in the community of Sdeh Nitzan.

The Israeli was skeptical of the cease-fire, certain it would fail and greater Palestinian-instigated violence will follow. The Palestinian was more hopeful, assuring Isaacson that "those who know how to make war also know how to make peace" - a reference to Hamas.

Neither farmer went to his fields on Wednesday, fearful of last-minute violence. Palestinians launched at least 13 rockets and mortars toward Israel. No one was hurt, but one of the projectiles hit a greenhouse not far from Isaacson's fields.