Gaza Guava Harvest Shrinks Dramatically Amid War and Blockade
Palestinian farmer Hani Al-Qadra is struggling to salvage his guava trees in southern Gaza's Mawasi area, Khan Younis, after Israeli military operations and the blockade severely damaged agricultural land, water sources, and production supplies. His current harvest has fallen to about 30% of pre-war levels due to water and fertilizer shortages, with his farm located approximately 100 meters from Israeli military-occupied zones.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), around 87% of Gaza's cultivated land, including 89% of its orchards, was damaged by late September 2025. A joint FAO and UNOSAT assessment from August 18, 2025, indicated that only 3% of the Gaza Strip's agricultural land remained undamaged and accessible.
Al-Qadra noted that despite this being the first season with slightly less intense conditions after three years of conflict, the lack of water, electricity, fertilizer, and tree care supplies has drastically reduced production. He estimates that guava cultivation in the southern Gaza Strip has decreased from about 2,500 dunams before the war to roughly 200 dunams now. His farm's yield this year is estimated at only $30 compared to previous years.
Before the war, agriculture constituted about 10% of Gaza's economy, supporting over 560,000 people through farming, livestock, and fishing, according to the FAO. Farmers like Al-Qadra and his workers operate under constant threat of gunfire and shelling from nearby Israeli forces, with Al-Qadra recounting instances where he had to evacuate workers due to random firing.
Despite a ceasefire in effect since October 10, 2025, Israeli forces have expanded their control to about 70% of Gaza's area. The FAO attributes the shrinking agricultural land to farmers' inability to access their fields and the widespread destruction. Al-Qadra expressed the precariousness of their work, stating, "One shell from the Israeli army could ruin everything."
Agricultural worker Alaa Abu Hassoun, displaced from Rafah to Mawasi, also highlighted the dire situation, working amidst shelling and gunfire to provide for his family. He stated, "If we don't work, we don't eat." Abu Hassoun noted that land leveling and destruction of crops and facilities have cost many workers their livelihoods, with around 200 workers in his area losing their income. The widespread unemployment, estimated at 78% in Gaza by the World Bank in 2025, and poverty have forced many to rely on food aid and community kitchens.
