The Israeli army last week invited and facilitated the transport of 50 Palestinian farmers from Gaza to an agricultural conference in Tel Aviv.

The goal of the gesture was to help boost agricultural output in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, as well as support professional cooperation between farmers in Israel and Gaza.

The gathering also provided the Gaza farmers with an opportunity to present their produce to attendees from around the world. Israel is a world leader in agricultural technology, and its conferences typically attract global participation.

"Buyers from around the world are being exposed to Palestinian produce," said Uri Madar, an agricultural officer with the Israeli army. "From Israel's perspective, this shows that the Gaza Strip is not in a state of distress and hunger, but rather that there is enough fresh food both for the local market and for marketing abroad."