Gaza/Nawa Network-Filastiniyat:
Displaced people in Al-Mawasi, Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, are facing a severe public health crisis due to heaps of garbage scattered at short intervals, every few meters.
Yasser's Dawoud mother, who lives in a tent near these heaps, is suffering from asthma. Her health has deteriorated significantly, largely because the foul odors from the garbage and sewage fill the air every time a breeze blows.
She says, "This place is contributing to the spread of diseases. At night, dogs gather around and start barking throughout the night, while the flies and mosquitoes don't leave our tents."
At night, dogs gather around and start barking throughout the night, while the flies and" mosquitoes don't leave our tents."
What makes the situation even more difficult is that many of the carcasses of dead animals are dumped in the same landfills, due to the difficulty of burying them due to the ongoing Israeli bombardment.
Yasser's mother continues, "The emergence of worms and insects from the decomposing waste increases the foul odor and accelerates the spread of disease." Mohammed Abu Dan, a resident of the Al-Saha area, east of Gaza City, tells us that his four-month-old daughter suffers from a skin condition resulting from constant mosquito and fly bites.
He says, "My daughter's body is covered with small pimples, and her skin is irritated due to the incessant presence of insects in our home. I tried to use rudimentary methods due to the lack of spraying and extermination tools, but all my efforts proved futile."
The doctors are doing a medical examination, and he asks Mohammed about the place he lives in, and Mohammed says:" The first floor is partly destroyed, and a few meters away is a heap of garbage made new by people because the municipality is currently unable to remove the garbage and transport it to the main landfill sites.
The Union of Municipalities in the Gaza Strip warned of the ongoing humanitarian disaster affecting residents as a result of the war of extermination. It stated that municipalities are struggling to respond effectively due to a lack of essential equipment and resources, especially in light of the massive destruction that has hit infrastructure, public services, the environment, and the health sector.
The Union, in a statement issued recently, called for urgent international intervention to provide municipalities with the basic resources needed to carry out their responsibilities toward the population and to ease the escalating humanitarian crisis. The statement highlighted the urgent need for heavy machinery and specialized equipment to manage the nearly 55 million tons of rubble spread across all areas of the Gaza Strip.
شبكة نوى، فلسطينيات: The UNDP has warned that waste management in Gaza has become an urgent need, requiring immediate support and solutions.
According to Sam Rose, the Planning Director at UNRWA, he describes the place are people live as a "volcano of gray and brown debris" that is surrounded by waste, as they have no other option. He added, 'People are living amidst waste, and the mass displacement has put an enormous strain on everyone.
The UNDP has warned that waste management in Gaza has become an urgent need, requiring immediate support and solutions. It pointed out that the waste crisis is a reflection of the broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza before the war.
Before the war began on October 7, 2023, the UNDP had organized a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable waste management in Gaza, focusing on transitioning to a circular economy model. However, since the outbreak of the war, priorities have shifted toward urgent humanitarian assistance.
According to the program, the number of solid waste collection vehicles in Gaza decreased from 112 to 73 between 2017 and 2022. Most of these vehicles are old, and their numbers are insufficient, with one collection vehicle serving 21,000 people, and one waste collector for every 3,343 people.
Al-Wahidi warns of the spread of illegal dumpsites between the residents' tents and homes, which threatens the spread of severe skin and respiratory diseases. He also stated that these areas are becoming breeding grounds for rats, large rodents, mosquitoes, and flies, which are carriers of diseases.
He adds: "The biggest concern is that these waste piles have become a mix of organic waste, metals, dust, and debris from destroyed homes. This means they could contain harmful and toxic chemicals and radioactive materials, especially if the leachate from this waste seeps into the groundwater."
Al-Wahidi insists on the urgent need to bury the waste safely, under international standards, in the Gaza Strip. "The drinking water, which is essential for the life of people in Gaza, has become untreated, and if this continues, it will turn into a deadly poison for them."
