Gaza farmers battle to rebuild as WFP warns of West Bank settler violence
Gaza's Agricultural Recovery Faces Ongoing Challenges
Gaza farmers battle to rebuild as WFP - The United Nations continues to provide crucial support to agricultural communities in Gaza as they work to restore their livelihoods following the devastating conflict between Hamas and Israel. Many farmers are attempting to rebuild their smallholdings in regions that have suffered extensive destruction during the ongoing war.
Personal Stories of Resilience
Among those struggling to recover is Taysir Dahdouh, a local grower whose property sits in the Zeytun neighborhood, located to the east of Gaza City. His agricultural plot measures approximately the same area as a standard football field. Before the current crisis began on October 7, 2023, his land featured numerous greenhouses that supported his farming operations. Unfortunately, most of these structures were either destroyed or lost during the fighting. Now, Dahdouh requires essential supplies including tools, seeds, fertilizer, and adequate water resources to cultivate the cucumbers and tomatoes that he previously grew successfully.
Alessandro Mrakic, who serves as the Head of the Gaza Office for the UN Development Programme, shared insights with UN News's correspondent operating within the enclave. He explained that families who had previously resided in heavily bombed neighborhoods experienced multiple relocations before eventually returning to their homes. "We have provided 200 relief housing units to provide shelter to the families who came back and started, as you see behind me, agriculture – started producing eggplants, tomatoes, molokhia, among others," Mrakic stated.
FAO Expands Support for 2026 Season
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization announced on Thursday that it has significantly expanded its cash assistance initiative. This program aims to help approximately 1,500 Palestinian farmers work their land throughout the 2026 planting season. The expanded effort is projected to generate sufficient fresh vegetables to feed more than 100,000 individuals across the region.
However, the FAO cautioned that agricultural workers face increasing pressure as their available territory continues to shrink due to persistent Israeli military operations. The organization is urging for improved access to land, maritime areas, and essential production inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, irrigation equipment, and fishing gear.
Broader Humanitarian Efforts
In related developments, Ramiz Alakbarov, the Deputy Special Coordinator for the peace process, expressed appreciation for new financial commitments totaling nearly $58 million from eight Member States directed toward the UN Horizon Fund. He encouraged additional international partners to contribute to this initiative.
The World Food Programme highlighted that individuals compelled to relocate within Gaza face the danger of losing access to fundamental services. The organization called for safe passage to reach vulnerable populations. Despite numerous obstacles, WFP and its collaborative partners successfully assisted more than 250,000 people across 36 distribution locations during the first twelve days of the current month.
Additionally, humanitarian organizations distributed over 5,440 educational kits to support approximately 217,600 children participating in summer learning programs.
West Bank Settler Violence Concerns
Shifting focus to the West Bank, a senior delegation from the aid coordination office OCHA traveled to Deir Nidham village in the Ramallah governorate on Wednesday. The delegation met with Palestinian families impacted by settler aggression and the continued expansion of settlement outposts in the area.
Attacks by settlers have represented roughly 55 percent of all Palestinian injuries recorded in the West Bank during 2026 so far.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported that the Secretary-General remains "deeply alarmed" by Israeli authorities' decision to grant city status to Givat Ze'ev, a settlement situated northwest of Jerusalem. Dujarric emphasized that this designation "does not alter the city's legal status under international law as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory."
Reiterating established positions, Dujarric confirmed that all Israeli settlements within the occupied West Bank, including those in East Jerusalem, violate international law. He referenced the International Court of Justice's advisory opinion delivered in July 2024 to support this position. The spokesperson noted that settlements continue to present a significant barrier to achieving a two-State solution and renewed the Secretary-General's appeal for Israel to stop all settlement expansion activities.