No olive branch: Natural resource destruction and prospects for restoration in Gaza and the West Bank

With a ceasefire declared in the war on Gaza and a peace plan unfolding, attention is turning to the formidable task of rebuilding the Gaza Strip’s shattered infrastructure. Residents continue to face immediate challenges of obtaining water, food, and power. Equally important, the war also accelerated the destruction of the natural resource base essential for producing food in Gaza, with spillovers in the West Bank. According to a June 2024 Interim Damage Assessment by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), this includes the widespread contamination of soils, water, and air; the destruction of agricultural infrastructures, such as trees, greenhouses, wells, and irrigation systems; and estimated damages to more than 95% of Gaza’s croplands (Figure 1).