Struggle and Solidarity: Writing Toward Palestinian Liberation

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Before the Israeli war began, Gaza’s agricultural sector was known for its abundant production of fruits and vegetables and was often called the “food basket” of the Strip. Despite extensive Israeli restrictions that hindered the sector’s growth — including limits on the entry of agricultural inputs and the export of goods — farmers in Gaza were still able to produce 25 varieties of fruits and vegetables, meeting much of the local market’s needs, exporting part of their produce to Arab and European countries, and providing jobs to nearly 560,000 people.

However, the Israeli war has completely devastated this sector, leaving approximately 90 percent of farmland unusable due to bombing, bulldozing, or seizure within the so-called “Yellow Line.” Agricultural consultant and food security expert Omran Al-Khasawneh told Al Jazeera that intense bombardment leads to soil contamination with toxic chemicals from explosive remnants, such as lead, mercury, copper, and chromium — heavy metals that contaminate and accumulate in the soil. The buildup of these metals is toxic for plants, hindering their roots’ ability to absorb essential nutrients and reducing crop productivity.

Of the land outside Israeli control, only 5 percent remains suitable for cultivation. Production is falling far short of meeting the population’s needs. The crisis is further exacerbated by the widespread destruction of agricultural infrastructure — over 1,100 wells and 450,000 linear meters of irrigation networks have been destroyed, along with approximately 12,500 greenhouses. Adding to these challenges, Israel continues to block the entry of essential farming inputs, including fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, and spare parts for agricultural machinery, severely hindering any efforts to restore agricultural production.

Many Gazans view the destruction of agricultural land as a deliberate Israeli objective since the war on Gaza began on October 7, 2023, aimed at weakening food security in the Strip, undermining its ability to achieve self-sufficiency, and deepening economic dependence on Israel. According to specialized reports issued by the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, the total area of destroyed plant production due to the Israeli war on Gaza reached approximately 167,000 dunams (equivalent to about 41267 acres), including 78,000 dunams of vegetables, 14,000 dunams of field crops, and 75,000 dunams of tree cultivation. Losses in plant production are estimated at around 459,000 tons, valued........

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