Long-lasting devastation to livelihoods from damage to agricultural lands in Gaza

Israel’s continuing attacks against Hamas are causing massive collateral damage to agricultural livelihoods and food supplies in the Gaza Strip. More than one third of agricultural lands in Gaza have been damaged since the outbreak of the war on October 7, 2023, according to analysis based on satellite imagery by the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The analysis compares the density and health of vegetation and crops over the past six agricultural seasons, using a method known as Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis as well as a multi-temporal classification to identify notable changes taking place in agricultural areas since October 7. Figure 1¹  compares the situation in early January 2024 to that shortly after the start of the conflict, with damaged areas marked in red.