The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture announced on Wednesday that the total losses incurred by the agricultural sector during the recent Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip amounted to $204 million.
The ministry said during a press conference that the amount of the direct damage reached over to more than $126 million while the indirect damages amounted to almost $79 million.
It added that the losses included the destruction of hundreds of acres of vegetable crops and trees as a result of direct targeting as well as the disruption of water for irrigation purposes.
The ministry indicated that livestock owners incurred losses as a large number of birds and animals died as a result of the interruption of the supply of animal feed due to the closure of border crossings.
There were severe damages in the agricultural facilities feed factories wells main and subsidiary conveyor lines agricultural ponds fish farming stations feed stores agricultural equipment stores pesticides and bee farms.
Lack of access to lands during the Israeli aggression as well as the absence of an open market for produce including export opportunities which was already a major problem due to the ongoing Israeli blockade of Gaza resulted in a sharp drop in the prices of many agricultural products causing losses to farmers.
The ministry added that the Israeli warplanes targeted the warehouses belonging to the supplier of agricultural necessities including fertilizers pesticides and plastic which harbingers a disaster in the Strip.
It reiterated the urgent appeal to international and human rights institutions and to all relevant authorities to take the necessary steps to address this disaster and the negative effects on humans the environment and public health.
