A new geospatial assessment carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Satellite Centre has found that less than five per cent of Gaza’s cropland can be cultivated due to damage and access restrictions, Al Jazeera reports.

The “alarming” deterioration of the territory’s agriculture infrastructure is “further deteriorating food production capacity and exacerbating the risk of famine in the area”, FAO said in a statement.

The analysis found that as of last month, more than 80pc of the Gaza Strip’s total cropland area has been damaged (12,537 hectares out of 15,053) and 77.8pc is not accessible to farmers, leaving just 688 hectares (4.6 percent) available for cultivation.

The assessment also said that 71.2pc of Gaza’s greenhouses 82.8pc of its agricultural wells have been damaged.

“This level of destruction is not just a loss of infrastructure — it is a collapse of Gaza’s agrifood system and of lifelines,” said Beth Bechdol, FAO’s deputy director-general.

“What once provided food, income, and stability for hundreds of thousands is now in ruins. With cropland, greenhouses, and wells destroyed, local food production has ground to a halt. Rebuilding will require massive investment — and a sustained commitment to restore both livelihoods and hope.”