Gaza Farmers Struggle to Restore Food Production Amid Military Buffer Zones

Farmers in the Gaza Strip are attempting to restore local food production despite the destruction of over 80% of greenhouses and severe shortages of water, fertilizer, and pesticides. In Beit Lahiya, Saqer Abu Rabee and other farmers have rehabilitated land to produce seedlings and vegetables, which has successfully lowered local market prices for peppers and aubergines.

These agricultural efforts are hindered by the Israel Defense Forces, which have expanded military-controlled buffer zones marked by yellow and orange lines. These zones effectively seize fertile cropland. Saqer Abu Rabee reports that his son and brother were killed by Israeli forces while working on agricultural plots, claiming farmers are targeted for sustaining the community. The Israel Defense Forces deny targeting civilians, stating they only respond to threats from Hamas.

The Food and Agriculture Organization warns that food security remains fragile. Satellite data analyzed by Forensic Architecture indicates that only 3% of prewar cropland is currently undamaged and ready for immediate cultivation. The agency emphasizes that recovery is impossible without the restoration of local livelihoods for farmers, herders, and fishers.