Gaza's Agriculture Crippled by War, $3.49 Billion Damage

The Gaza Strip's agricultural sector has suffered losses estimated at $3.49 billion, with $1.9 billion in direct damages and $1.59 billion in indirect damages. More than 85 % of the sector's components are reported destroyed, including 158,909 of 182,247 dunums of farmland (87.1 % loss), about 8,700 agricultural wells, 3,828 water ponds and 1,371 km of irrigation pipes. The livestock segment shows a 90.3 % destruction rate, with over 5,450 ruminant farms and 2,300 poultry farms damaged, 69,000 head of cattle and 2.79 million birds killed, and 28,400 beehives destroyed. The fisheries have also been hit, with 1,674 boats, seven aquaculture farms and the sole fish hatchery damaged.

The extensive damage has paralysed Gaza's food production, sharply reducing local food security and causing thousands of families to lose their primary income source. The Ministry of Agriculture has appealed for urgent international assistance to rebuild infrastructure, restore farming and fishing activities, and alleviate the growing humanitarian crisis.