Food production in the Gaza Strip has reached a near-total standstill, with a new satellite-based assessment by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) revealing that 98.5 percent of cropland is damaged, inaccessible, or both. This leaves only 1.5 percent of cropland — approximately 232 hectares — available for cultivation, down sharply from 4.6 percent (688 hectares) in April 2025. In a territory of more than two million people, the implications are catastrophic.

The satellite imagery shows that 12.4 percent of cropland, although physically undamaged, remains out of reach because it lies within designated “no-go” zones. The already limited availability of arable land is compounded by the relentless impact of conflict, severe restrictions on humanitarian delivery and distribution, and the destruction of critical agricultural infrastructure. Irrigation systems, roads, storage facilities, markets, and farm equipment have been decimated, erasing the foundations of Gaza’s food production capacity.

FAO officials warn that food production cannot be restarted without a fundamental change in conditions, including improved accessibility, safety, and significant investment to restore livelihoods. “To prevent further suffering, we need to prioritize urgent humanitarian access and invest in restoring Gaza’s local agrifood production systems, markets, and infrastructure,” said Rein Paulsen, FAO’s Director of Emergencies and Resilience. “This includes both regaining safe access to farmland and rehabilitating land and assets damaged by the conflict.”

The release of this data follows a stark alert from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system, issued on July 29, confirming that the worst-case scenario of famine is now unfolding in Gaza. The latest figures indicate that 39 per cent of residents are going entire days without food, while more than half a million people — nearly a quarter of the population — are enduring famine-like conditions. The rest face emergency levels of hunger.

In response to the IPC alert, FAO, the World Food Programme (WFP), and UNICEF have renewed calls for immediate and sustained action. They are urging an unconditional ceasefire to halt the killing, ensure the safe release of hostages, and enable lifesaving humanitarian operations. Humanitarian access must be safe, sustained, and unimpeded to allow for a large-scale influx of assistance through all available crossings, delivering food, nutrition supplies, water, fuel, and medical aid to families in need across the territory.

Reviving commercial supply chains is equally critical to restoring local markets and ensuring the flow of goods into Gaza. Civilian and aid worker protection must be guaranteed, alongside the restoration of essential services such as healthcare, clean water, and sewage treatment. Longer term, international actors stress the importance of investing in the recovery of Gaza’s local food systems. This includes rehabilitating agriculture, revitalizing bakeries and markets, and rebuilding the infrastructure necessary to prevent total dependency on external aid.

As Gaza stands on the brink of an avoidable famine, the message from the UN agencies is clear: without urgent political and logistical breakthroughs, the Strip’s last remnants of agricultural capacity will disappear — along with the hope of stabilizing its food security in the foreseeable future.