Not Just with Rockets: 'Israel' Targets Waste Management System in Gaza, Endangers Residents Lives

The 30-year-old Mohammed Eid is enduring "days of hell" in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, due to the mounting piles of garbage and the proximity of sewage water to his tent.

Displaced with his family from northern Gaza months ago, his children have suffered from frequent gastrointestinal infections, while severe mosquito bites have plagued the entire family.

Waste Accumulation

Mountains of waste are piling up in Gaza as the Israeli assault has turned all aspects of normal life into devastation since October 2023.

In addition to the massive rubble, hundreds of thousands of tons of waste are accumulating in the besieged territory. The municipalities' inability to manage and dispose of the waste is starting to cause hazards and spread diseases.

Eid told Al-Estiklal that, like other residents of the Strip, his family has not used cleaning agents since the early months of the assault due to shortages and the blockade's restrictions.

He notes that Gaza now has two distinct faces: rubble and garbage.

“Those who survive the continuous bombings will slowly succumb to diseases. This is Israel's punishment for the 2.3 million residents of the Strip.”

In Gaza City alone, over 150,000 tons of waste have accumulated, according to a municipal announcement on August 31, 2024.

In northern Gaza, approximately 60,000 tons of waste are piling up in the streets and in front of 60 shelters, as reported by the Union of Municipalities during a press conference on August 26.

Recent estimates for the amount of accumulated waste in southern and central Gaza are unavailable, with municipalities continuing to warn of significant disasters and infectious diseases.

This is particularly concerning as the safe spaces for displaced people to set up their tents in central Gaza are diminishing.

Tons of waste and sewage appear to be surrounding them in their tents, amidst the spread of gastrointestinal and skin diseases.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported on June 13, 2024, that over 330,000 tons of waste have accumulated in populated areas across Gaza, warning of “catastrophic” environmental and health risks.

Since then, the agency has not provided updates on the amount of accumulated waste, but it has continued to warn about the dangers posed by the proximity of waste to shelters, raising concerns about the spread of more diseases.

Destruction and Prevention

The accumulation of waste can be attributed to two main reasons. The first is the widespread destruction of municipal waste removal vehicles, and the second is the extensive presence of the Israeli Occupation forces in Gaza, which has limited the ability to work and move, thus preventing waste removal.

The number of vehicles destroyed by Israeli Occupation has reached approximately 126, representing 80% of Gaza City's municipal fleet, particularly those used for waste removal, water network maintenance, and sewage treatment.

In northern Gaza, the Israeli Occupation has destroyed 77 vehicles, including waste removal trucks and heavy equipment, amounting to 95% of the fleet, according to Beit Lahia's municipal chief, Alaa Eattar, during the previously mentioned press conference.

Elattar explained that the Israeli war has destroyed over 1.5 million square meters of roads and streets in northern Gaza, making waste removal difficult. Additionally, 35 water wells and 5 main sewage pumps have been destroyed.

Municipal crews in Gaza are also unable to access the main waste disposal sites in the eastern Strip due to the ongoing assault.

This has led to the creation of makeshift dumps, most of which are located near the displaced persons’ tents, escalating the environmental disaster and its impact on their lives.

On August 18, the Deir al-Balah municipality in central Gaza warned of the consequences of the Israeli Occupation’s recent decision to evacuate several neighborhoods and reduce the humanitarian area from 30 to 20 kilometers. This has led to severe overcrowding and alarming waste accumulation in a narrow strip amidst the intense heat.

The municipality confirmed that waste is piling up in streets, roads, and shelters due to the inability of municipal vehicles to reach the designated dump site, which is located in an area the Israeli Occupation has demanded to be vacated.

This situation is likely to lead to the spread of epidemics and diseases, especially with the discovery of the first case of polio, according to the municipality’s statement.

The Gaza municipality also reported that its teams have been unable to access the main dump site in the Juhor ad-Dik area (east) since the beginning of the aggression, resulting in waste accumulation in city centers and around shelters and health facilities.

Ongoing Crisis

The waste crisis in Gaza predates the current conflict, as the Israeli Occupation authorities have hindered the development of waste disposal sites for years.

There are two types of waste disposal sites in the Strip: central and temporary. The central sites include the Juhor ad-Dik and al-Fukhari sanitary landfills in the eastern regions.

Temporary and makeshift dumps, which municipalities are forced to use for solid waste disposal, have been in use for an extended period, even before the current war on Gaza.

These makeshift sites have become health hazards and pose a significant threat to the environment and public health, with a total of eight such sites across various areas of Gaza.

Even before the war, the expansion of the main dump site in Juhor ad-Dik, east of Gaza, was obstructed by the Israeli Occupation forces, which prevented access within 300 meters of the border fence despite the site's overcapacity.

Additionally, over the years, the establishment of new dumps in border areas, relatively far from residential areas, has been obstructed.

A study published by the Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights in September 2023, the month before the war, highlighted that the Israeli Occupation authorities prevented the entry of necessary machinery for waste disposal sites.

This includes large bulldozers (9D) used for pushing and leveling waste, as well as compaction machines known as “rollers.”

The entry of waste removal vehicles used by municipalities, large bins, and removal trucks is also prohibited.

The entry of cranes, which are needed for maintenance at the Fukhari and Juhor ad-Dik sites, is also restricted.

The Israeli Occupation blocked the import of spare parts required for maintaining waste removal and disposal equipment in Gaza.

Still, the Israeli forces impede the movement of technical teams needed for enhancing operational efficiency and participating in conferences, whether in the West Bank or abroad.

Catastrophic Damage

The besieged Gaza Strip is not only overwhelmed by the rubble of destroyed buildings but has also become a haven for accumulated waste, which threatens to spread epidemics and infectious diseases.

On August 2, UNRWA reported approximately 40,000 cases of hepatitis A in its shelters and health centers since October.

Health partners are preparing for the worst-case scenario of a polio outbreak following the confirmation of the first case of polio in Gaza, affecting a 10-month-old child.

On September 2, 2024, Gaza's Ministry of Health announced that it had vaccinated around 246,000 children within two days as part of an ongoing campaign launched in the central governorate of the Strip.

Medical teams supervising the vaccination in centers in Deir al-Balah (central Gaza) noted signs of exhaustion and malnutrition in many children receiving vaccinations due to the harsh conditions caused by the ongoing war for the past 11 months.

Throughout the months of war, health and human rights organizations have warned of the spread of diseases and epidemics in the Strip due to a shortage of medicines and vaccines, as well as the challenging health and living conditions faced by displaced individuals.

Displaced individuals report outbreaks of gastrointestinal and skin diseases due to accumulated waste, sewage leaks, and the blockade's restrictions on cleaning supplies and water shortages.

UNRWA spokesperson Louise Wateridge stated that the issue goes beyond unpleasant odors from the waste; it also leads to the spread of diseases and pests such as rats, mice, and mosquitoes.

This comes amidst the loss of some medicines essential for treating widespread skin and gastrointestinal conditions.

Gaza's Ministry of Health reports that 70% of medicines are missing, with specialized treatments nearly depleted from its stores.

Regarding their measures, Gaza City Municipality spokesperson Asem Alnabih said they are collaborating with neighborhood committees and youth groups, and partnering with some organizations to remove waste from scattered dumps in the city.

“Unfortunately, waste is currently being moved to the Firas Market in the city center due to the inability of teams to reach the main dump site in the eastern region,” he told Al-Estiklal.

According to Alnabih, this area has become a large makeshift dump, which is unprepared, unsanitary, and unsuitable.

The municipality is focusing on areas with high population density, with border areas and those near the presence of the Israeli Occupation forces being excluded from any operations, according to Asem.

“We have a long list of needs, but the most critical are providing heavy machinery for waste removal, ensuring adequate fuel supplies, and allowing municipal teams access to the main dump site east of the city,” he added.

A workshop organized by the Jordan Engineers Association on August 12, 2024, which included numerous experts, concluded that the accumulation of waste threatens food security and leads to the deterioration of the environmental and health systems, indicating that Gaza needs approximately $156 million to restore its waste management sector.