AhlulBayt News Agency: The Gaza Municipality has issued a warning about the growing waste crisis in the city, stating that accumulated garbage has surpassed 250,000 tons. This poses a severe environmental and public health threat amid an ongoing humanitarian crisis that has now entered its 19th month.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, the municipality reported that massive amounts of waste are piling up in residential neighborhoods. Due to the blockade and lack of resources, municipal teams are unable to remove the garbage, and they are reportedly barred from accessing official landfill sites.
To mitigate pollution, the municipality has implemented partial emergency measures, including collecting waste and relocating it to temporary dumping sites within the city. Additionally, main streets are being swept. However, officials stressed that these efforts are insufficient given the rapidly deteriorating environmental and health conditions.
The crisis is exacerbated by fuel shortages, a lack of waste management equipment, and Israeli-imposed restrictions preventing the transfer of garbage to the main landfill site in Juhor ad-Dik, east of Gaza.
Gaza’s infrastructure is nearing total collapse after more than 17 years of Israeli blockade and the latest military escalation, which has severely damaged civil infrastructure, including water and sewage networks.
Health and environmental experts warn of immediate consequences, including the spread of infectious diseases, an increase in insect and rodent populations, and groundwater contamination. These risks are particularly concerning in a densely populated area suffering from a severe lack of health services.
The waste crisis is further intensifying the hardships faced by Gaza’s residents, who are already struggling with food, water, and electricity shortages. With no political solutions in sight, the situation continues to deteriorate.
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