Less than 5% of Gaza's cropland is useable, UN assessment shows

26/5/2025 19:16

Less than 5% of Gaza's cropland can be cultivated due to damage and access restrictions, "exacerbating the risk of famine in the area", according to a U.N. assessment published on Monday.



"This level of destruction is not just a loss of infrastructure – it is a collapse of Gaza's agrifood system and of lifelines," said Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization which produced the assessment alongside the U.N. Satellite Centre.



Before the Israel-Hamas war began over 19 months ago, Gazan farmers cultivated a range of crops including citrus fruits, dates and olives, despite the area being among the most densely populated in the world.



Now, half a million people face starvation, according to a global hunger monitor, amid Israeli restrictions on food imports after an 11-week blockade.