Over more than two years of relentless bombardment, Israeli military actions have resulted in the deaths of over 60,000 Palestinians, with children making up a substantial portion of the casualties. This humanitarian crisis has drawn condemnation as genocide from various international human rights organizations and a United Nations commission. Moreover, an alarming new analysis from an Israeli environmental research center highlights the severe ecological damage: Gaza’s soil is contaminated due to the destruction of wastewater treatment facilities, sewage pollution is rampant, and the remnants of exploded munitions are contributing to rising respiratory illnesses.
A study by the Arava Institute, based in Israel, indicates that Gaza is currently enveloped by approximately 61 million tons of rubble, much of which includes hazardous materials such as asbestos, unexploded ordnance, and unburied human remains. “The environmental conditions in Gaza were catastrophic even before October 7th,” stated Dr. Tareq Abuhamed, the Arava Institute’s Palestinian director. Efforts to restore even this previously dire state could span decades.
According to a UN report circulated in late September, the destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure—roads, buildings, and more—has reached an estimated cost of nearly $70 billion, exacerbated by the loss of over 80% of cropland. Less than 10% of hazardous waste is disposed of in a safe manner, with the majority either burned or dumped in open landfills. Meanwhile, untreated wastewater is recklessly discharged onto land or into the sea.
“The waste accumulates into mountains, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and rodents that transmit malaria,” explained Dr. Yasser El-Nahhal, an environmental chemist with the Islamic University of Gaza.
Even prior to Hamas’ offensive on October 7, 2023, Israeli blockades severely restricted access to essential resources such as water, electricity, and food. Rolling blackouts have plagued the region for the last two decades, forcing many residents to depend on small-scale desalination units and private water trucks for potable water. Currently, the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders reports that only 10% of their requests for imported water have been approved by Israeli authorities.
“The environmental devastation began before the conflict,” noted El-Nahhal. “However, since the war, it has reached unimaginable levels.”
Dr. Mazin Qumsiyeh, a Palestinian researcher from Bethlehem University’s Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, describes the ongoing situation as an act of ecocide, interpreted as the severe and lasting destruction of the environment. An increasing number of nations aspire to establish a legal framework for ecocide as a crime that could be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court.
“Gaza was once a functioning society, despite the significant restrictions imposed over the past 16 years that limited resources,” said Qumsiyeh. “They had schools, universities, sewage treatment plants, and desalination facilities. All this has now been obliterated amid this genocidal and ecocidal conflict.”
This month, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the world’s foremost conservation congress, ratified a resolution advocating for ecocide to be classified as a criminal offense. Jojo Mehta, the founder of the legal advocacy group Stop Ecocide International, remarked that although the resolution defines ecocide broadly, it certainly applies to Israel’s actions in Gaza. “The environmental degradation in Gaza is horrendous,” Mehta expressed. “There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that it qualifies as ecocidal.”
Israeli officials have not responded to multiple inquiries regarding this matter.
The report from the Arava Institute calls for unrestricted humanitarian assistance to Gaza, advocating for potable water systems and hygiene supplies to address escalating disease threats. The UN’s September report emphasizes that making Gaza’s environment viable again “will necessitate a cessation of hostilities. The initial phase of recovery will prioritize saving lives through restoring essential services and debris clearance.”
Still, Qumsiyeh from Bethlehem University believes that Palestinians will persist in their efforts to rebuild, even if the ongoing ceasefire does not hold. “I don’t pretend that we have an extraordinary success rate,” he reflected. “But envision a community repeatedly demolished yet continuously striving to rebuild—that demonstrates remarkable resilience and hope.”
