How could the loss of agricultural land affect the Gaza Strip?
Land destruction and resource seizure severely impact Gaza Strip's agriculture This personal experience reflects a broader crisis: according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, around 90 percent of Gaza’s olive orchards had been damaged by October 2025. The violent seizure of land and resources has made olives and olive oil much more expensive, and farmers have lost part of their livelihoods, severely impacting the agricultural operations and economy of the Gaza Strip.
- Effect
- Strong negative
- How direct
- Stated in the reporting
- When
- Right away
- The story
- Gone quiet
How it reaches Gaza Strip
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Alaa Ahmed shared that his family once owned three plots of land in eastern Gaza Strip where they grew crops, including olive trees. He stated that the Israeli military bulldozed all three plots, which are now located in areas designated as “Red Zones”. Ahmed noted that the olive harvest, which typically begins in October, relies heavily on manual labor and the first autumn rains.
The full event1independent outlet -
Alaa Ahmed recounts how his family's three plots of land in eastern Gaza, which grew olive trees, were bulldozed by the Israeli military and are now inaccessible due to being in “Red Zones.” This personal loss reflects the wider trend of land destruction in the Gaza Strip. The destruction of land and resources has led to a severe reduction in agricultural capacity. Reports indicate that only 3 percent of Gaza’s agricultural land remained both accessible and undamaged in August 2026, and the violent seizure of land has made olives and olive oil much more expensive, reducing farmers' livelihoods.
1 report connects these two. Brind only summarizes; follow a link to read the reporting itself.
- progressive.org Oct 12
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self-governing Palestinian territory next to Egypt and Israel
Everything about Gaza Strip
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The facts so far
As reported. Each one links to where it comes from.
- Alaa Ahmed's family used to own three plots of land in eastern Gaza, which were bulldozed by the Israeli military.progressive.org
- Around 90 percent of Gaza’s olive orchards had been damaged by October 2025, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.progressive.org
- In the latest assessment, published in August 2026, only 3 percent of Gaza’s agricultural land remained both accessible and undamaged.progressive.org
- The violent seizure of land and resources has made olives and olive oil much more expensive, while farmers have lost part of their livelihoods.progressive.org
Why it matters
The loss of agricultural land represents a fundamental blow to the Gaza Strip's ability to sustain itself. Agriculture, particularly the olive harvest, is not just an economic activity but a core part of the community's identity and heritage, as described by Alaa Ahmed. The destruction of land means that not only immediate food sources are lost, but the path to recovery requires generations of rehabilitation and replanting.
This situation is part of a larger pattern of resource seizure and displacement. The reports detail how land that belongs to families, which requires years of care to produce fruit, is being uprooted in a moment, causing the disappearance of not just trees, but years of an entire family’s life. This makes the struggle for land a critical issue for the future stability of the territory.
What we don't know yet
- What specific rehabilitation efforts are planned for the damaged agricultural land?
- How will the increased cost of olives and olive oil affect the general population's food security?
What would change this answer
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Reporting
- progressive.orgOct 12
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