75% of agricultural fields in Gaza damaged, livestock losses reach 96%

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported that 75 per cent of the fields in the Gaza Strip, previously used for crop cultivation and olive orchards, have been damaged or destroyed due to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza since 7 October 2023, the Palestinian Information Centre reported.

The UN organisation revealed that more than two-thirds of agricultural wells are no longer operational, leading to a shortage of irrigation water. Meanwhile, livestock losses have reached 96 per cent, milk production has nearly stopped, and only one per cent of poultry remains alive. The fishing sector is on the brink of collapse, exacerbating food insecurity.

The organisation believes that a ceasefire in Gaza provides a critical opportunity to address the catastrophic food crisis by delivering emergency aid and initiating early recovery efforts, as over two million Palestinians urgently need assistance due to the collapse of agricultural production.

Antoine Renard, the World Food Programme (WFP) director in Palestine, stated that the programme is doing everything necessary to reach the displaced people in Gaza returning to their homes. He added that the WFP managed to operate 13 bakeries in the southern part of the Strip, prepare hot meals and deliver ready-to-eat meals to families in shelters.

A damage assessment released by the United Nations this month indicated that removing over 50 million tonnes of rubble left by the Israeli genocide could take 21 years at a cost of up to $1.2 billion, and rebuilding destroyed homes in Gaza may take at least until 2040.

While a UN Development Program official recently noted that the war has erased 69 years of development results in Gaza.

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