Israel sprays pesticides along Gaza border

By Hani al-Shaer

GAZA CITY, Palestine

Israeli aircraft on Tuesday sprayed pesticides along border with the blockaded Gaza Strip.

According to an Anadolu Agency reporter, the spraying operation targeted areas near the eastern, central and southern Gaza Strip.

“The Israeli pesticides affect Palestinian crops,” Wael Thabet of the Gaza Agriculture Ministry told Anadolu Agency.

He said Palestinian farmers have sustained huge losses in past years because of the Israeli pesticides.

Thabet said his ministry had been notified by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) of the Israeli plans to spray the area.

“And we have already notified Palestinian farmers of the Israeli activity,” he said.

According to Israeli Gisha NGO, the Israeli spraying operations aim to get rid of unneeded grass along border with the Palestinian territory.

Some 44,000 Palestinians are working in agriculture, making up around 11 percent of the territory’s work force.

The Gaza Strip, home to nearly two million Palestinians, has been reeling under a crippling Israeli blockade since 2007.