Nothing seems to be spared in Gaza as Israel's relentless assault continues. From widespread killings to a worsening food crisis, even the farmland – once vital to local survival – is being destroyed at an alarming rate. According to the United Nations, only 1.5% of Gaza’s agricultural land is still usable.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN reports that Israeli forces began a renewed blockade on Gaza in early March. Since then, they have repeatedly targeted farmlands. Back in April, 4% of Gaza’s arable land was still intact – now, that number has dropped to just 1.5%.

Before October 7, 2023 – the date when Israel launched its latest assault on Gaza – the region's residents grew a variety of crops including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. Agriculture accounted for about 10% of Gaza’s economy, and more than 560,000 out of 2 million people relied partly on farming and fishing to survive.

But that has drastically changed. The FAO states that by July 28, 2025, nearly 32,000 acres of Gaza’s agricultural land had been destroyed by Israeli operations. Only 232 acres of farmland now remain intact. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu warned that Gaza is on the brink of a full-scale famine. He said Israel’s blockade and the collapse of local food production have left Palestinians starving.

Despite repeated calls from the UN and global human rights organizations to end the violence, Israel continues its attacks. According to Al Jazeera, at least 22 more people were killed in strikes by Thursday evening. On the same day, four individuals reportedly died from starvation. The total number of starvation-related deaths in Gaza has now reached 197 – shockingly, 96 of them were children.