Health and environmental risks are worsening in the Gaza Strip as thousands of displaced Palestinians whose homes were destroyed by Israeli aggression are forced to live in tents near garbage dumps , where poverty and lack of resources drive them to search through the garbage for materials that will help them survive.
Local authorities responsible for solid waste management in the Gaza Strip are warning of an imminent environmental and health disaster due to the accumulation of large quantities of waste in the streets, residential neighborhoods, and displacement camps.
The worsening of the crisis is attributed to the inability of municipal crews to reach the main landfills near the eastern border of the sector due to the presence of the Israeli occupation army, in addition to a severe shortage of machinery, fuel and capabilities necessary to collect, transport and treat waste.
Imminent environmental disaster
In a statement issued Thursday, the Joint Services Council for Solid Waste Management in the central and southern Gaza Strip said the ongoing crisis threatens disease outbreaks , especially in environments crowded with displaced people.
These conditions are reflected in the health situation around the landfills, where foul odors and smoke from burning waste spread, along with the proliferation of insects and rodents, creating a fertile environment for the spread of skin and intestinal diseases, especially among children.
This deterioration is exacerbated by the fact that thousands of Palestinians are forced to live in dilapidated tents made of nylon and cloth, after Israel destroyed their homes during the genocide, while the siege continues and prevents the entry of mobile homes and building materials, which worsens the health and living conditions.
harsh living conditions
Displaced resident Atta Maarouf from Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip says that living near garbage dumps has become a necessity for many families, adding: “We collect paper, nylon, and firewood to light fires for bread and cooking, as there is no gas or fuel.”
He adds that the lack of job opportunities and sources of income forced them to work inside the dumps despite the dangers, noting the spread of itching and diseases among the workers, especially children.
During the two years of the Israeli genocide that began on October 8, 2023, the Gaza economy suffered widespread destruction, resulting in thousands of workers losing their livelihoods.
According to the World Bank, unemployment has risen to about 80 percent, while the majority of families rely on aid to secure their basic needs.
In Gaza City, children rummage through piles of garbage looking for usable materials or food for themselves.
On August 22, 2025, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Global Initiative declared a famine in Gaza City (north), and predicted that it would extend to Deir al-Balah (central) and Khan Yunis (south) by the end of September 2025.
Children among the garbage
The child Samer Wadih (13 years old) says: “We get injured while searching, and sometimes we eat what we find because of hunger,” stressing that the lack of alternatives pushes them to continue.
Entire families live in tents adjacent to these dumps, amid a lack of health and environmental services.
The suffering of the displaced continues
As for displaced woman Shrouq Abdel Aal, she says that her children are suffering from illnesses and high fever due to the surrounding environment.
She adds: “Insects are everywhere, and sometimes children bring food from the dump, so we have to cook it.”
Abdel-Aal is demanding safer housing, saying: “We want a clean place to live away from these dumps.”
In this context, the World Health Organization’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Hanan Balkhi, warned on April 13 that disease outbreaks in Gaza could spread beyond its borders, given the ongoing restrictions on aid entry.
Municipalities in the sector and the Civil Defense have repeatedly warned of the dangers resulting from the spread of waste near displacement sites, but the lack of machinery and fuel and the difficulty of accessing landfills in the eastern regions are hindering treatment efforts.
These developments come despite the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip since October 2015, with Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid continuing.
The agreement ended a genocidal war that Israel started on October 8, 2023, which lasted two years and left more than 72,000 Palestinian martyrs and more than 171,000 wounded, most of them children and women.
