Tomato prices in Gaza soar as farmland lies in ruins

Shafaq News – Gaza

A kilo of tomatoes that once cost 60 cents in Gaza now sells for $15—if available at all—according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which says nearly all of Gaza’s farmland has been destroyed or remains inaccessible.

“People across the Gaza Strip are suffering from starvation and widespread malnutrition—a man-made crisis,” UNRWA posted on X, urging an “unrestricted flow” of aid until the agricultural sector can be rebuilt.

Residents told Shafaq News that basic staples such as flour, lentils, and rice have become scarce, while vegetables are now unaffordable. “We used to buy tomatoes every day,” said one displaced father. “Now, they cost more than meat.”

Before the war, local farms supplied most of Gaza’s produce. With fields razed and irrigation systems destroyed, UNRWA estimates that agricultural recovery could take years even under stable conditions.

Read more: Two years of Israeli war leave Gaza in ruins

UNICEF reports that nearly 12,000 children under five are acutely malnourished, while the Gaza Health Ministry attributes more than 100 deaths to hunger and related complications since the conflict began.

A recent assessment by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) confirmed famine conditions in parts of Gaza, warning that over 640,000 people face “catastrophic” food insecurity (IPC Phase 5)—the most severe classification.

Despite the ceasefire, humanitarian access remains heavily restricted. Aid agencies revealed that only about 300 trucks per day have entered Gaza. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that at least 600 trucks daily are required to meet essential food and health needs.

UNRWA said it has sufficient food stocks pre-positioned in Jordan and Egypt to supply Gaza for three months once unrestricted entry is allowed. However, deliveries are hindered by damaged roads, insecurity, and looting.

Flow of aid must be unrestricted for @UNRWA and international NGOs https://t.co/J0yK4qk26A

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) October 17, 2025

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has also warned that failure to expand aid corridors risks further famine and preventable deaths, with millions now relying on unsafe substitutes for food and water.