SAFA- The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture in the Gaza Strip said Monday that losses to the agricultural sector caused by the ongoing war have exceeded $3.49 billion, with more than 85% of the sector damaged or destroyed. The ministry said the destruction has led to the near collapse of food production and deepened the food security crisis.

In a statement, the ministry estimated total losses at $3.49 billion, including $1.90 billion in direct damage and $1.59 billion in indirect losses. It attributed the damage to the widespread destruction of farmland, agricultural infrastructure, and production facilities.

The ministry said the crop production sector was among the hardest hit. About 158,909 dunams of farmland were damaged out of a total of 182,247 dunams, representing 87.1% of the cultivated area. It said the losses have sharply reduced crop production and weakened Gaza's ability to meet local food needs.

The statement added that the war has nearly crippled the irrigation system. Around 8,700 agricultural wells are no longer operational, while 3,828 agricultural water reservoirs and 1,371 kilometers of irrigation water networks have been destroyed.

The livestock sector sustained damage estimated at 90.3%, according to the ministry. More than 5,450 livestock farms and about 2,300 poultry farms were affected, while approximately 69,000 head of livestock and 2.79 million birds were lost. Another 28,400 beehives were also damaged.

The fisheries sector also suffered extensive losses, including the destruction of 1,674 fishing boats and other fishing assets, seven fish farms, 450 dual-use ponds, and the Gaza Strip's only fish hatchery.

The ministry said agricultural infrastructure was heavily damaged, including 93 plant nurseries, 18 hatcheries, and 134 agricultural cold storage facilities. Government agricultural centers, veterinary laboratories, research stations, water treatment facilities, fishermen's ports, and related service infrastructure were also damaged.

The ministry said the destruction has left the agricultural sector nearly paralyzed, reduced food security, and deprived thousands of families of their livelihoods, increasing dependence on humanitarian aid.

It called on the international community, U.N. agencies, and donor organizations to urgently support efforts to restore the agricultural sector, rebuild its infrastructure, and help farmers, fishermen, and livestock breeders resume production.

The statement comes as official estimates indicate that the war, now in its second thousand days, has caused preliminary direct losses of about $80 billion across Gaza's key sectors, including housing, healthcare, public services, and agriculture.