DaysofPal- A new United Nations assessment has revealed that just 4.6 percent of Gaza’s cropland remains usable, as widespread destruction and access restrictions cripple the territory’s food production system and push it closer to famine.
The analysis, conducted by the UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), paints a grim picture of the devastation. As of last month, more than 80 percent of Gaza’s farmland — over 12,500 hectares — has been damaged, and nearly 78 percent is now inaccessible to farmers. That leaves only 688 hectares, or 4.6 percent of Gaza’s cropland, available for cultivation.
The destruction extends beyond fields. The report also found that more than 70 percent of Gaza’s greenhouses and nearly 83 percent of its agricultural wells have been damaged or destroyed, making local food production virtually impossible.
“This level of destruction is not just a loss of infrastructure — it is a collapse of Gaza’s agri-food system and of lifelines,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol.
She warned that what once sustained hundreds of thousands of people has now been reduced to ruins, adding that the road to recovery will require not just major investment but long-term international commitment.
The findings underscore the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has endured 19 months of war, mass displacement, and severe restrictions on humanitarian aid.
Earlier this month, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released an analysis warning that all 2.1 million people in Gaza are now at critical risk of famine.
The FAO emphasized that without immediate restoration of farming infrastructure and access to land, the already dire food insecurity will continue to spiral, threatening the lives and livelihoods of an entire population.
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