The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor explained that the Israeli occupation authorities have caused the near-total destruction of livestock in the Gaza Strip, with losses reaching approximately 97%.

This occurred through direct bombing or systematic starvation, including the loss of working animals, which were the primary means of transportation in light of the fuel shortage and the disruption of movement.

The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor noted in a statement issued Saturday that these policies coincided with the razing of thousands of dunams of agricultural land as part of a strategy aimed at starving the population and drying up their food resources, significantly deepening human and psychological suffering. These measures, according to the monitor, represent key components of the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The Euro-Med Monitor emphasized that Israeli policies constitute a systematic pattern of genocide, imposing unbearable living conditions that inevitably lead to the physical destruction of the population through the systematic targeting of food sources and livestock and agricultural production.

This also includes the illegal blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, the widespread killing of civilians, and the deliberate restriction of food supplies, which constitute a flagrant violation of all international laws and reflect a clear intent to eliminate the Palestinian population as a protected group under the Genocide Convention.

The statement explained that before the genocide began in October 2023, the Gaza Strip contained approximately 6,500 poultry farms, supplying three million chickens per month to the local market. Over time, according to data, more than 93% of these farms were completely destroyed, while the rest ceased operations and fell out of production.

The Euro-Med Monitor revealed that thousands of birds died as a result of direct bombing or from a lack of feed and water, in what it described as one of the largest attacks on white meat production.

Regarding the livestock sector, data showed that the Gaza Strip contained approximately 15,000 cows before the genocide, but more than 97% of them died as a result of direct killing or starvation, with a limited number slaughtered during the first months due to a lack of alternatives.

Regarding sheep and goats, statistics show that Gaza had approximately 60,000 sheep and 10,000 goats before the genocide. Current data indicates that 97% of this livestock perished as a result of direct bombardment or the tragic conditions resulting from the genocide.

The Euro-Med Monitor also explained that the number of donkeys in Gaza was approximately 20,000 before the genocide, in addition to horses and mules used as working animals. Recent estimates indicate that approximately 43% of these animals had died by August 2024, with no more than 6% remaining, representing a near-total collapse of this vital sector.