Israel’s attacks on Israel, wells and greenhouses exacerbate the already significant risk of hunger in Gaza, the FAO said.
According to a new geospatial assessment from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), less than 5% of the farmland in the Gaza Strip can be grown.
The FAO described the situation as “anxiety” on Monday, warning that the destruction of agricultural infrastructure amid Israel’s war with Gaza “will further exacerbate food production capacity and exacerbate the risk of hunger.”
The joint assessment found that over 80% of Gaza’s total farmland is damaged, but 77.8% of the land is currently inaccessible to farmers. Only 688 hectares (1,700 acres), or 4.6% of the farmland, will be available for cultivation.
The destruction extends to the greenhouses and water sources of Gaza, with 71.2% of greenhouses and 82.8% of agricultural wells being damaged.
“This level of destruction is not just a loss of infrastructure, it’s the collapse of Gaza’s agrifood systems and lifelines,” said Beth Beddle, deputy director of FAO.
“What once provided food, income and stability for hundreds of thousands of people is now abandoned. Local food production will be stopped as farmland, greenhouses and wells have been destroyed. Reconstruction requires large investments.
The findings followed the release of an integrated Food Security Stage Classification (IPC) analysis earlier this month, warning that the entire population of Gaza faces serious risks of hunger after 19 months of war, mass displacement and severe restrictions on humanitarian assistance.
Israel announced last week that it would allow for the delivery of “minimal” aid to Gaza, but humanitarian organisations warned that drops of supplies would not reach Gaza’s hungry population.
Meanwhile, Israeli air attacks continue to kill dozens of Palestinians in Gaza every day.
On Monday, Israeli forces bombed school-turned-shelters in Gaza City, sparking fires and killing at least 36 Palestinians.
Health officials say that since dawn, more than 50 people have been killed in Israeli attacks.
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