The Firas street market in Gaza City is no longer bustling with life like it once was. Large parts of it are now buried under tons of trash, turning it into one of the main garbage dumps in the war-torn territory. Residents and merchants living nearby say this poses an environmental hazard that endangers public health.
“The market has become a big dumping ground, drawing flies, insects, and cockroaches,” the local residents complain. “The smell is terrible. It’s very difficult to live like this. Trucks keep dumping more and more trash every day, making the piles even higher. It could cause diseases.”
Officials in the Hamas-run municipality have estimated that there is more than 100,000 tons of accumulated trash at the site, a crisis made worse as residents begin to return to the city. They have said that removing the waste from the populated area to a more remote location is still impossible due to the lack of necessary equipment and because of Israeli restrictions on access to the main landfill of Juhor al-Dik, located in the now Israeli-controlled area beyond the Yellow Line.
Sanitary risks
The problem of waste is not limited to Gaza City. Scenes of scattered trash and piles of garbage are now common across the Gaza Strip, appearing on streets, along roads, and sometimes just steps away from where people take shelter, creating sanitary risks.
According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), there are 60 million tons of debris in Gaza, left by the massive bombardment during two years of war triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Around 80% of buildings have either been totally destroyed or badly damaged. Roughly four million tons of the rubble is said to contain dangerous waste such as toxic material, heavy metals, burnt plastic, and chemical waste.
“Not only are the people of Gaza facing a disaster, but they are already in the post-disaster era,” said Amjad al-Shawa, the head of the Palestinian NGO network in Gaza.
Al-Shawa told The Jerusalem Report that Gaza is undergoing “a total collapse in every humanitarian aspect,” including the growing environmental crisis engulfing the Gaza Strip.
“There is no sanitation. Eighty percent of sewage infrastructure has been ruined, as well as water lines and wells. People are living in tents next to garbage with rats, rodents, and stray dogs around. It can spread diseases,” he emphasized.
“Sewage leaks everywhere. It spills over to the streets and camps where displaced Gazans live... It’s very dangerous,” al-Shawa warned, noting that “wastewater facilities have also been destroyed, exposing people to health hazards.”
Sewage in the soil
Environmental experts say that because wastewater is not being treated, some 130,000 cubic meters are being contaminated each day due to sewage flowing into the sea. The amount of bacteria and coliforms in the seawater, they said, is much higher than the safe limit set by the World Health Organization. Debris containing metal waste has also reportedly polluted areas along the coast, with some of it entering the sea.
Gaza’s natural water sources are also being contaminated by sewage that seeps into the soil and pollutes the groundwater. The UN has also reported that much of Gaza’s vegetation and agriculture has been decimated.
“Water is not safe for drinking, especially for pregnant women, children, and the elderly with chronic health problems,” al-Shawa said. He noted that even those who were previously healthy have started to suffer from skin diseases, infections, and disruptions in the digestive system.
“It has gotten worse now in the winter, as the chances of catching influenza and viruses increase,” he said, adding, “What can people do? They have nowhere else to go. This situation is unbearable. There are even people living in cemeteries because Gaza is crowded with no open space left.”
Residents have also reported breathing difficulties due to air pollution, which was linked in part to the collapse of 90% of Gaza’s waste collection systems. With no place to put trash, people are now burning it, causing smoke and dust in the air. In addition, according to the UN, the use of generators for power has raised CO2 levels, while the burning of solid materials for cooking has added to the pollution.
Damaged buildings also pose a threat to the residents’ safety, a danger that has been intensified recently by strong winds and stormy conditions. Last month, the Hamas-run Civil Defense reported three deaths following the partial collapse of some buildings.
“Buildings are no longer safe havens for residents because of the rain and wind,” a statement from the organization said.
Clearing rubble
Lately, municipal crews, along with local UN staff, have begun clearing some of the rubble to reopen streets and roads, though this makes little impact compared to the huge amount that remains.
A recent video from Gaza showed a rescue team putting out a small fire at one of the garbage dumps, where what appeared to be the remains of a rocket were discovered.
“With no separation of different kinds of waste, the debris in Gaza is mixed with unexploded munitions from the war,” al-Shawa said. “The resources we have are very limited; and with only very basic equipment, crews in Gaza do whatever they can, but it’s far from being enough.”
Heavy machinery and specific equipment, classified as dual-use materials that Israel says could be used by terror groups for combat, have not been allowed to enter the Strip.
Al-Shawa called to begin the process of rebuilding now rather than waiting for future reconstruction plans.
“We cannot wait for a rehabilitation process that may only be carried out at an unspecified time,” he told the Report. “The crisis is worsening, and the people of Gaza need urgent solutions.”
“Clearing the rubble and waste requires special effort with the right resources and means. It has to be implemented immediately,” al-Shawa said.
“People are suffering. Unexploded ordnance and bodies are buried in the debris. This is not a sustainable situation,” he continued.
“Israel should allow all NGOs and UN agencies to work inside the Strip, and enable the entrance of tools and suitable equipment,” he said.
Funding reconstruction
Recently, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said it would take seven years to remove most of the debris “under the right conditions.”
Removing the rubble is only the first step in the reconstruction of Gaza. Some experts say that the long-term recovery process could take decades. The UN and other international organizations estimated the cost of rebuilding Gaza at $70 billion.
Funding Gaza’s reconstruction has been a controversial issue, as some countries are not willing to pour large sums into the enclave unless they are sure the fighting is over and the conflict is on a path to resolution.
Despite the ongoing environmental and humanitarian crisis, many Gazans say they do not want to leave the territory and are simply waiting to see what happens next. Others, however, are considering leaving – if the Rafah border crossing opens and allows them an exit.■