DayofPal– The Israeli war on Gaza has left a trail of devastation across all enclave, but none suffered more than agriculture. Vast farmlands were bulldozed and bombed, and the destruction of critical agricultural infrastructure put the food security on the brink, soaring unemployment, and unprecedented levels of poverty.
Agriculture has long been a cornerstone of Gaza’s economy, covering approximately 41% of its land and employing 6.8% of its workforce. Once known as the “Strawberry Capital,” Gaza was a leading exporter of this prized fruit to European markets—until the war turned its fertile lands into barren wastelands.
Reports from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reveal that over 101,830 dunams (68% of cultivated land) were razed, reducing once-thriving farms to desolate fields of dust.
Gaza’s agricultural sector encompasses livestock, poultry, fruit and vegetable cultivation, and marine fisheries—activities that not only sustain local food production but also drive exports and contribute to the GDP. Yet, the war has shattered this ecosystem.
Khalil Hamad, a farmer from northern Gaza, lost his 12-dunam farm to total destruction. “Farming is in our blood—it’s our livelihood. I invested everything into my land to support my family of seven,” he laments. “Now, we have nothing left.”
With a heavy heart, he describes his scale of devastation: “They bulldozed everything, turned it into a wasteland. We’ll have to start from scratch—but we have no tools, no seeds, no fertilizers, no fuel to run the wells, no electricity to plow the fields.”
Iman Jarrar, Director of Agricultural Services at the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, echoes his despair: “The losses are absolute. The phosphorus bombs dropped by Israel have severely impacted soil fertility, making land restoration nearly impossible. The future of farming in Gaza is uncertain.”
Gaza, a mere 365 square kilometers in size, was pounded with explosives at an unprecedented scale, rendering tens of thousands of dunams unsuitable for cultivation. According to Jarrar, the destruction of soil fertility could spell the end of agriculture in the region, with long-term consequences that will cripple food production for years to come.
Farms Reduced to Ashes
The damage extends beyond the land itself. A study by researcher Rami Al-Zayigh for Roya Center for Political Development found staggering losses: 75% of olive trees were destroyed, 71.2% of fruit orchards were damaged, 58.5% is the decline in vegetable farming.
The destruction of 101,830 dunams of farmland, 68% of Gaza’s total agricultural area, wiped out key crops and led to severe food shortages.
Water infrastructure also took a severe hit, with 1,188 agricultural wells, more than 52.5% of Gaza’s total, rendered inoperable. Gaza City suffered the highest percentage of destruction.
Additionally, 44.3% of Gaza’s greenhouses (5,779 dunams) were obliterated, further crippling food production.
The Fishermen’s Struggle
Beyond farmland, the war dealt a devastating blow to Gaza’s fishing industry, a vital lifeline for over 4,054 fishermen. Once a key source of food for Gaza’s 2.5 million residents, the sector was systematically dismantled.
Standing near the shoreline, fishermen try to repair their small, engine-less boats—one of the few means left to make a living. Yet their efforts are often met with attack. The Israeli navy fires at any movement in the water, making fishing a deadly endeavor.
Nayef Abu Riyala, a member of the Fishermen’s Union, recounts: “Many of our fishermen have died just trying to work. We’ve lost 150 worker—40 of them killed while at sea.”
Livestock Wiped Out
The devastation reached Gaza’s animal farming sector, leading to the death of 95% of livestock and the complete slaughter of all cattle over the 15-month war. Poultry farms were wiped out, and commercial food production came to a halt.
Hassan Al-Arjan, a farmer in Rafah, surveys the wreckage of his once-thriving farm. “We used to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, and dates—enough to feed the market. Now, there’s nothing left. Israeli bulldozers uprooted every tree, every plant. They even destroyed our water wells.”
Like Al-Arjan, thousands of farmers and agricultural workers lost everything. Their suffering is compounded by soaring food prices: Tomatoes up 490%, Potatoes up 560%, Eggs up 440%, Fresh beef up 241%.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC 2024) adds that 91% of Gaza’s population faces acute food insecurity, 345,000 people suffer catastrophic hunger levels.
Before the war, Gaza relied on imports for 44% of its food needs. Now, it is 100% dependent on external aid, with local food production wiped out.
A study by Al-Zayigh highlights the war’s staggering economic toll: 55% decline in agriculture’s contribution to GDP, 93% drop in added value from farming, 100% halt in exports, 96% food insecurity rate.
For thousands of families, the consequences. Um Hassan Al-Ataouna, a widow and mother of five, once supported her family by selling dairy products. “All our livestock died. There’s no milk, no cheese, no income. Prices have skyrocketed—we can barely afford to eat.”
Once a familiar face in Gaza’s vegetable market, Al-Ataouna has lost not only her business but her livelihood. Her story is echoed by thousands of families now struggling to survive.
A War on Survival
The destruction of Gaza’s agricultural sector is not just an economic disaster, but it is a direct assault on life itself. The war has driven unemployment to unprecedented levels, wiping out 19,500 jobs in agriculture alone.
A report by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reveals 400% rise in food prices, 283% inflation surge, 62% drop in purchasing power, and 72% decline in agricultural household income. The economic devastation is crippling, with consequences that will last for generations.
A Crime Against Humanity
Under international law, Israel’s systematic destruction of Gaza’s food sources constitutes a war crime. Legal expert Yahya Muhareb explains that article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the destruction of private property unless militarily necessary.
Article 147 classifies the widespread destruction of property without justification as a grave breach.
“The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights guarantees the right to food, which Israel is violating.”
Furthermore, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Article 8) defines the deliberate targeting of non-military infrastructure as a war crime.
For years, international bodies have condemned Israel’s destruction of Palestinian farmlands. The 2023 UN report labeled such acts “collective punishment”, a practice banned under international law.
Yet, as Gaza’s lands lie barren and its people face starvation, the world remains silent. The war on Gaza was not just about bombs and bullets—it was an assault on survival itself.
Without urgent intervention, Gaza’s future will remain trapped in hunger, poverty, and devastation. Its fields empty, its markets silent, its people left to fight for every last grain of hope.
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