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Palestinian authorities on Tuesday documented extensive damage to the territory's agricultural sector, reporting that Israeli military operations have devastated more than 90% of Gaza's farming infrastructure while affecting thousands of farmers in the occupied West Bank.
Agriculture Minister Rezq Salimia detailed what he described as "systematic violations targeting land, water, people, and identity" during a press conference at the ministry's headquarters in Ramallah, outlining losses that have reshaped Palestine's agricultural landscape over the past two years.
The damage in Gaza has been particularly severe, according to Salimia, with irrigation wells, greenhouses and farming facilities among the infrastructure destroyed since October 2023. The minister characterized the situation as creating "major transformations and unprecedented challenges" for the sector.
In the West Bank, where Israeli authorities maintain control over more than 60% of the territory, Palestinian officials say development and land rehabilitation projects remain blocked. Salimia estimated that access to these restricted areas could generate over $3 billion in economic value and create at least 200,000 jobs.
"This means we could have dispensed with all foreign aid if we were allowed to invest in those lands," the minister said.
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From January through mid-October 2025, more than 5,353 West Bank farmers experienced what Palestinian authorities classify as violations—a 17% increase from the previous year. Documented losses exceeded $70.3 million, stemming from burned and uprooted trees, damaged infrastructure, livestock killings and theft, and land confiscations that have prevented farmers from accessing their properties.
The ministry's records show more than 15,000 olive trees have been destroyed since October 2024 alone. Salimia cited "systematic settler grazing" on restricted Palestinian farmland as an additional factor in agricultural losses.
The broader conflict has exacted a heavy toll across Palestinian territories. Gaza's Health Ministry reports over 68,200 people killed and more than 170,300 injured since October 2023. In the West Bank, Palestinian officials count at least 1,056 killed, around 10,300 injured, and over 20,000 detained—including approximately 1,600 children—during the same period.
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