Over 75% of olive trees destroyed in Palestine as Israel continues bombardment in Gaza, reveals report

A new report revealed that more than 75% of Gaza’s olive trees have been destroyed due to Israel’s military operations, Anadolu Agency reported.

As per Anadolu, the report, prepared by the National Office for the Defence of Land and Resistance to Settlement, linked to the Palestine Liberation Organisation, stressed upon the severe damage inflicted on Gaza’s olive sector since the Israeli offensive began following a Hamas incursion in October.

It noted that during a brief one-week cease-fire in November, Gaza farmers were able to access fields untouched by Israeli forces to harvest olives. In contrast, in the occupied West Bank, Israeli authorities revoked olive harvesting permits, barring farmers from their lands. The report also highlighted illegal settler activities aimed at obstructing Palestinian olive harvests.

Additionally, around 23,700 acres of olive-planted land in the West Bank have been designated closed military zones, further limiting Palestinian farmers’ access to their crops. Olive cultivation, a long-standing tradition in Palestine, is both economically significant and symbolic of Palestinians’ deep connection to their land.