With the conflict between Israel and Hamas now in its seventh month, domestic waste has been piling up. Some municipalities have been left with little choice but to find new dumping grounds within residential areas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is 'at war' following a surprise attack from Gaza by Hamas militants.

Israel-Gaza War

Gaza is currently facing a significant waste management crisis, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, now entering its seventh month. The persistent hostilities have severely disrupted municipal services, forcing some areas to resort to creating makeshift landfills within residential zones. Residents, such as Abu Mohammed, express profound concern over the proximity of these dumps to their homes, indicating a deteriorating quality of life and rising health issues among the local population.

According to Mohammed, the waste accumulation has not only altered the landscape of their living environment but has also led to an increase in diseases, with children particularly suffering from various skin conditions and fevers attributed to the pollution. The situation is dire, highlighting the collapse of regular waste management services. The cessation of municipal operations has left communities to contend with the escalating health and environmental hazards on their own.

Yousef Hamad, a worker for the municipality, acknowledges that the areas being used for dumping are not officially designated for waste disposal. The blockages of roads, a direct consequence of the conflict, have prevented access to established landfills, leaving few alternatives. Hamad emphasizes the risks posed by such practices, including the attraction of insects and stray animals, and the potential for groundwater contamination. Additionally, state agencies have issued warnings regarding the inaccessibility of clean drinking water for the majority of Gaza's population and the complete breakdown of sanitation services, including the malfunctioning of wastewater treatment systems.



Gaza's growing waste problem

Abu Mohammed walks past a makeshift landfill, less than 500 feet from his home in central Gaza. With the conflict between Israel and Hamas now in its seventh month, domestic waste has been piling up. Some municipalities have been left with little choice but to find new dumping grounds, like this. Mohammed says the dump's proximity to his home has him worrying about the health of his family. This street was completely empty. We did not suffer like this before. The municipality used to be active, but after the war and the aggression that occurred, it ceased its operations. This waste here has brought diseases. Our children are suffering from various ailments that we have never seen before, such as skin pimples and rashes. Personally, I returned from the clinic just an hour ago. There were numerous cases, including my child, who had a fever. The doctor said that it was the result of the pollution here. Yousef Hamad is a municipality worker. The area is not a designated dumping zone, he says, but there was little choice after road blockages stopped them from reaching the official landfill. Hamad also warned of the environmental hazard it poses. It could attract insects and stray animals, he says, and could potentially contaminate the groundwater. State agencies warned in February that the majority of people had no access to clean drinking water, and that sanitation services were wholly ineffective, with none of Gaza's wastewater treatment systems working.

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Israel-Gaza War