Palestinian farmers in Gaza are trying to sustain cultivation on shrinking parcels of land amid war, destruction and severe food shortages. In Beit Lahia in northern Gaza, farmer Saker Abu Rabi has resumed farming on 1.4 hectares that previously contained an orange grove, according to his account. He said Israeli forces destroyed the grove, after which he cleared the land with relatives and workers using basic tools.

The farm produces millions of eggplant, tomato and pepper seedlings. Some vegetables are sold, while most seedlings are distributed to other farmers and families living in tents; the effort has significantly lowered vegetable prices in local markets. Abu Rabi said his son Yusuf was killed in a drone strike while working in a field in October 2024, and his brother Bilal was killed in July this year while collecting farming equipment. The Israeli military denied allegations of targeting farmers or civilians.

FAO satellite data says only 450 hectares, about 3 percent of Gaza's pre-war farmland, remain intact and immediately cultivable. More than 80 percent of greenhouses have been damaged, while shortages of water, fertilizer and pesticides constrain production. UN agencies estimate about 1.4 million people, or 67 percent of Gaza's population, face severe food insecurity.