Human rights groups demand an immediate halt to the military’s destruction of land in the Gaza Strip, endangering farmers’ lives, bodily integrity and property, and as such, disproportionately and grievously violate their most fundamental rights, including the rights to dignity, private property and livelihood.

In response, Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, Al Mezan, and Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel sent an urgent letter to the Israeli defense minister, attorney general, and military advocate general, demanding an immediate halt to the military’s destruction of land in the Gaza Strip, an investigation into the recent incursions, and compensation to Gaza farmers for the damage.

Since 2014, Israel has also been conducting aerial spraying of herbicides inside Gaza in order to clear lands and kill vegetation adjacent to the perimeter fence. During this period, Palestinian farmers have been living in constant fear of harm to their sources of livelihood. Israel has continued to undertake these destructive actions even on the backdrop of the global COVID-19 health crisis and related concerns for the financial situation and food security in the Strip, and in direct violation of its obligation to protect the human rights of civilians in Gaza living under its control.

Gisha Attorney Muna Haddad emphasizes that such needs do not justify damage to farmland in Gaza: “These destructive operations violate Israeli and international law, and the Israeli military has no authority to carry them out."