Gaza farmers attempt to rebuild livelihoods through small-scale agriculture

Displaced farmers in the Gaza Strip are attempting to rebuild their livelihoods through small-scale agricultural projects. Mohammad al-Halabi, a 50-year-old farmer, is currently tending to a 300-square-metre plot of tomato and eggplant seedlings in the Nuseirat refugee camp.

Al-Halabi previously managed approximately 40,000 square metres of farmland in northern Gaza's Jabalia, where his family grew various crops including strawberries, potatoes, and flowers. He reports that his original farmland was bulldozed by Israeli forces in February 2024, leaving the area covered in rubble and remnants of weapons.

While the current small plot in Nuseirat provides minimal produce for his family and is insufficient for commercial sale, al-Halabi continues the work to maintain his profession. He noted that his former land in Jabalia will require extensive rehabilitation before it can be utilized for farming again.