Ministry of Social Development Warns of Worsening Waste Crisis in Gaza, Calls for Urgent International Action

 

 

GHLands :The Ministry of Social Development has warned of the rapidly deteriorating environmental and public health conditions in the Gaza Strip, citing the near-total collapse of the territory's waste management system amid the ongoing war. The ministry said the accumulation of waste has become a direct threat to public health, with extreme summer temperatures further exacerbating the suffering of hundreds of thousands of displaced people living in tents and temporary shelters.

The ministry said residents are enduring increasingly dire humanitarian conditions as piles of uncollected waste become a constant source of pollution and disease, posing heightened risks to children, older adults, people with disabilities, patients, and women.

According to United Nations estimates, nearly one million tons of solid waste have accumulated across the Gaza Strip, while residents generate approximately 1,400 additional tons every day. At the same time, waste collection, transportation, and safe disposal services have almost completely collapsed following the widespread destruction of the infrastructure, equipment, and facilities dedicated to waste management.

Extreme Heat and Collapsing Services Intensify Health Risks

The ministry warned that soaring temperatures are accelerating the decomposition of waste, leading to the release of harmful gases and foul odors, while contaminated leachate is seeping into the soil, increasing the risk of environmental degradation and groundwater pollution.

It added that these conditions, combined with severe overcrowding in displacement shelters, the continued collapse of the healthcare system, shortages of clean water, and the breakdown of sewage services, significantly increase the risk of infectious disease outbreaks and epidemics.

Damaged Infrastructure Fuels the Spread of Illegal Dump Sites

The ministry said the war has destroyed a large portion of Gaza's waste management infrastructure, including waste collection vehicles, transfer stations, and treatment facilities. Access to the territory's two main sanitary landfills has also become impossible.

As a result, more than 140 informal waste dumping sites have emerged near residential neighborhoods and displacement camps, reflecting the scale of the environmental deterioration across the Gaza Strip.

The ministry also warned that the mixing of household waste with medical waste at several of these sites has increased the risk of skin diseases, respiratory illnesses, and gastrointestinal infections, placing the most vulnerable groups at even greater risk.

Efforts Underway to Relocate Families to Safer Areas

Despite severe resource constraints, the Ministry of Social Development said it continues, in coordination with the Ministry of State for Relief Affairs, to support families facing the greatest environmental risks.

The ministry said it is monitoring the conditions of families living adjacent to waste dumps and informal collection sites while coordinating with partners and relevant authorities to relocate them to safer locations. These efforts include establishing alternative displacement camps, providing tents for affected families, and facilitating their relocation to areas farther away from waste accumulation sites in order to reduce their exposure to environmental and health hazards.

International Appeal for Emergency Funding

The ministry stressed that the continued accumulation of waste around residential areas and displacement camps is depriving thousands of families of even the most basic conditions for safe living and is further deepening the humanitarian crisis amid ongoing displacement, overcrowding, and the collapse of essential services.

According to international estimates, Gaza's waste management sector requires approximately $62 million in emergency funding over the next 18 months to restore waste collection and transportation services and rebuild minimum operational capacity. Long-term recovery and reconstruction needs are estimated to exceed $110 million to ensure sustainable waste management services and protect public health.

The ministry called on the international community, the United Nations, humanitarian organizations, and donor countries to provide urgent financial support, facilitate the entry of equipment, machinery, fuel, and operational supplies, ensure safe access for technical teams, and assist municipalities and relevant authorities in resuming waste collection, transportation, and treatment operations. It also urged the removal of informal dumping sites located near residential areas and displacement shelters to prevent the environmental and public health crisis from worsening.

The ministry concluded by emphasizing that protecting civilians in the Gaza Strip extends beyond providing food, medicine, and shelter. It also requires ensuring a safe and healthy environment that preserves people's dignity and protects them from pollution and disease. Under the current circumstances, the ministry said, waste management is no longer merely a municipal service but an urgent humanitarian intervention that is just as essential as food, clean water, and healthcare because of its critical role in safeguarding public health and preventing the spread of disease.