Israeli soldiers infiltrate Gaza border, raze Palestinian farmland

The Israeli army infiltrated the eastern border of Khan Younis city in the south of Gaza on Monday, razing farmland, Palestinian security sources told The New Arab.

Six Israeli tanks and military bulldozers advanced several dozen metres into the besieged Palestinian enclave, levelling a large tract of farmland and establishing earth mounds.

Israeli troops fired toward a group of farmers and hunters in the area, although no injuries were reported.

The Hamas-run agriculture ministry told The New Arab that the Israeli army has carried out 206 incursions and bulldozing operations against Palestinian agricultural land in Gaza, destroying crops.

"These violations are represented by the advance of Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers towards the citizens' lands, the leveling of these lands and the uprooting of crops," a spokesperson told The New Arab.

"The total area of agricultural lands affected by bulldozing operations from 2018 to 2020 amounted to 1,035 dunams, while the value of material damage during this period amounted to $1,189,802."

Gaza has been under siege since a Hamas takeover of the land strip in 2007, leading to acute shortages of basic goods and essential medical supplies, although Egypt occasionally opens the Rafah border crossing for Palestinians and supplies.