UN Says Only 3% of Gaza Cropland Accessible and Undamaged

A United Nations report reveals a dire situation for agriculture in Gaza, with only three percent of the territory's cropland remaining accessible and undamaged. Satellite image analysis by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows a significant reduction in usable farmland.

Since October 2025, when a temporary ceasefire was in place, the area of accessible and undamaged cropland has shrunk by 25.5 percent, from 601 hectares to 448 hectares. An additional 3,643 hectares are accessible but require extensive rehabilitation before they can be farmed.

"Without urgent action to restore safe access and provide farmers with the support they need, opportunities to restore local food production will continue to diminish," warned Rein Paulsen, director of the FAO's Office of Emergencies and Resilience. The report also highlights severe restrictions on agricultural imports, impacting livestock farmers' ability to secure animal feed and veterinary supplies. Greenhouse availability has also declined.

The FAO attributes the reduced access primarily to the westward expansion of the "Yellow Line," a zone separating the ceasefire area from Israeli military control. Before the conflict escalated in October 2023, agriculture constituted about 10 percent of Gaza's economy and supported over 560,000 livelihoods.

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Without urgent action to restore safe access and provide farmers with the support they need, opportunities to restore local food production will continue to diminish.