Assessing Food Security in Restricted Access Areas Using Remote Sensing: A Multi-Dimensional Analysis of Gaza from 2018 to 2024

Abstract. Food security assessments in conflict-affected regions face significant methodological challenges due to restricted ground access, data scarcity, and disruptions to agricultural production and food distribution networks. This study employs a multi-dimensional approach to assess food security in Gaza from 2018 to 2024, integrating Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, a Random Forest-derived land cover map, food price inflation data, and import statistics to construct a composite food security index. The findings reveal a substantial decline in agricultural productivity, evidenced by decreasing NDVI values from 0.25 to 0.16 in 2024 and increasing food imports. Furthermore, a marked rise in food prices of 180% post-October 2023 highlights the economic volatility exacerbated by conflict.