"Evaluating War-Induced Damage to Agricultural Land in the Gaza Strip Since October 2023 Using PlanetScope and SkySat Imagery"
Introduction
The ongoing 2023 Israel-Hamas War has severe and far-reaching consequences for the people, economy, food security, and environment. The immediate impacts of damage and destruction to cities and farms are apparent in widespread reporting and first-hand accounts from within the Gaza Strip. However, there is a lack of comprehensive assessment of the war's impacts on key Gazan agricultural land that are vital for immediate humanitarian concerns during the ongoing war and for long-term recovery. In the Gaza Strip, agriculture is arguably one of the most important land use systems. However, remote detection of damage to Gazan agriculture is challenged by the diverse agronomic landscapes and small farm sizes. This study uses multi-resolution satellite imagery to monitor damage to tree crops and greenhouses, the most important agricultural land in the Gaza Strip.
About Lina Eklund
Dr. Lina Eklund is an associate senior lecturer at the department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science at Lund University, Sweden. Eklund specializes in land system dynamics in the context of migration and armed conflict, using mainly earth observation and spatial analysis. She is specifically interested in the Middle East and has been doing research primarily on Israel/Palestine, Iraq and Syria.
