oPt: Only 3% of Gaza’s cropland remains accessible and undamaged, FAO finds

Undamaged cropland has declined by 25.5 percent since October 2025 Rome - Only 3 percent of the Gaza Strip’s cropland remains both accessible and undamaged, according to a new geospatial assessment released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT). As of 24 June 2026, 4 091 hectares - 27 percent of the Gaza Strip’s cropland - remained accessible. However, only 448 hectares were both accessible and undamaged. The other 3 643 accessible hectares were damaged and would require rehabilitation before cultivation could resume. Since October 2025, accessible and undamaged cropland has fallen from 601 hectares to 448 hectares—a loss of 153 hectares, or 25.5 percent. Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis recorded the largest reductions. The decline reflects reduced access to farmland since the October 2025 ceasefire, associated primarily with the westward expansion of the so-called “Yellow Line” separating the ceasefire zone from the military-controlled area. Greenhouse availability also declined compared with the October 2025 assessment. The assessment found that 224 hectares, or 16.6 percent of greenhouse area, remained accessible and undamaged -down from 226 hectares, or 17.3 percent, in October 2025. Deir al-Balah recorded the largest decrease. The findings show that reduced access - not additional physical damage - has been the primary driver of declining agricultural land availability since October 2025. Rafah has the highest levels of inaccessibility: 97.2 percent of cropland and 98.4 percent of greenhouse area cannot be accessed. The most extensive physical damage remains concentrated in North Gaza and Gaza governorates. “This latest assessment paints a stark picture of the continued deterioration of Gaza’s agriculture sector,” said Rein Paulsen, Director of FAO’s Office of Emergencies and Resilience. “The loss of access to farmland is further shrinking the space available for farmers to produce food, even where agricultural assets remain physically intact. Farmers in Gaza have shown time and again that when land and inputs are available, production is possible. But 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.” Critical shortages Restrictions on the import and distribution of essential agricultural inputs are also hampering recovery. In addition to limited access to land, farmers face critical shortages of seeds, fertilizers, irrigation equipment, fuel and other production materials. Livestock keepers also struggle to obtain feed, veterinary supplies and animal health services. FAO’s ability to import feed and other materials needed to protect and restock herds remains inconsistent. The limited agricultural inputs available in Gaza are often of declining quality and priced beyond the reach of farming households. Before hostilities escalated in October 2023, agriculture accounted for about 10 percent of Gaza’s economy and supported the livelihoods of more than 560,000 people through crop production, livestock rearing and fishing. FAO calls for urgent and sustained action to restore agricultural production in Gaza by ensuring farmers can safely access their land, facilitating the entry of essential agricultural inputs - including commercial imports of non-dual-use items - and supporting the rehabilitation of damaged farmland. Safe and unimpeded access to farmland, reliable access to production inputs and sustained investment are essential to rebuild Gaza's agrifood system, strengthen local food production and restore agricultural livelihoods.