UN Warns of ‘Collapse’ in Gaza’s Food System as War Devastates Agriculture

Less than five percent of Gaza’s farmland remains cultivable, according to a new geospatial assessment released Monday by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), Al Jazeera reports.

The report paints a dire picture of the region’s agricultural sector, which has been decimated by ongoing Israeli military operations.

The FAO described the situation as “alarming”, warning that the widespread destruction of farmland, greenhouses, and water infrastructure is accelerating the region’s descent into famine.

“This level of destruction is not just a loss of infrastructure – it is a collapse of Gaza’s agrifood system and of lifelines,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol.

According to the joint FAO-UNOSAT assessment:

• More than 80 percent of Gaza’s cropland has been damaged.
• Over 77 percent of this land is now inaccessible to farmers.
• Only 688 hectares (1,700 acres) – just 4.6 percent of cropland – remains usable.
• 71.2 percent of greenhouses and 82.8 percent of agricultural wells have also been damaged or destroyed.

Bechdol warned that with local food production nearly halted, Gaza’s population faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

The new data aligns with earlier findings from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, which warned that Gaza’s entire population is at “critical risk of famine.” The territory has endured 19 months of war, mass displacement, and harsh restrictions on humanitarian aid, making food and water increasingly inaccessible.

Though Israel recently announced it would allow limited aid deliveries into Gaza, humanitarian agencies say the volume is far too low to meet the needs of the population.

Even as aid efforts struggle to gain traction, Israeli military operations continue across the enclave. On Monday, an airstrike on a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City sparked a fire that killed at least 36 Palestinians, including several children, according to local health officials.

In total, more than 50 people were reported killed across Gaza since dawn Monday in a series of Israeli air attacks.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has drawn increasing international condemnation, as calls grow for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of unrestricted humanitarian corridors.