As Israeli bombs fall, Gazans face disease threat from rubbish that rots at their feet
The collapse of basic public services in the Gaza Strip has led to an accumulation of uncleared waste and a threat to health and the environment, officials told The National.
Gazans struggling with displacement from their homes, the destruction of medical services and scarcity of food now have to deal with the stench from rotting rubbish where disease-carrying pests breed.
“There is an accumulation of over 90,000 tonnes of waste, and with rising temperatures, it has become a real environmental catastrophe,” said Hussni Mohanna, spokesman for the municipality in Gaza city.
There has also been a significant increase in insect and rodent populations in the surrounding areas, making the piles of waste a source of infectious diseases among residents, Mr Mohanna said.
There has been a sharp increase in the number of people catching skin diseases, gastrointestinal conditions and hepatitis, a viral liver condition, he said.
Gaza struggled to handle the 2,000 tonnes of waste put out each day before the war, but now a lack of collection vehicles and the fuel to run them has made matters worse, humanitarian agencies said.
Gaza city’s landfill is located in an area where Israeli air strikes and shelling are concentrated, which make taking rubbish there highly risky, Mr Mohanna said.
“The municipality, along with local committees and youth volunteer teams, are attempting to collect waste and burn it in temporary landfill sites within the city,” he said.
However, toxic gases from burning and rotting waste make the air pollution the city suffers because of Israeli bombardment much worse, he said.
“We have seen issues such as difficulty in breathing, chest pain and chest tightness related to waste burning,” said Ahmad Salah, a health worker at a medical centre in a Beit Lahia, north of Gaza city.
“This exacerbates the pain and complicates treatment for these cases, as overcrowding in homes and shelter centres, along with the lack of electricity to operate fans that would alleviate the situation, are contributing factors.”
At the same time, there has been an increase in the number of skin problems such as itching, or pruritus, caused by an increase in insects as waste and wastewater accumulates, Mr Salah said.
“Some people have sensitivities, and they are affected by the bites of small insects like flies and mosquitoes,” he said. “A treatment with at least antipruritic medication and sometimes antibiotics to reduce the effects of redness and swelling is needed.”
However, public hospitals in northern Gaza are unable provide these medications and they are not available at commercial pharmacies for those able or willing to pay for them.
Ramzi Fadous, 35, told The National that the rubbish was making it impossible for his family to continue living in their tent in the courtyard of a school run by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, in Jabalia camp to the north of Gaza city.
“The rubbish decomposes in front of us, emitting a strong odour that causes us many illnesses and increases the presence of insects and rodents,” he said.
“The situation has been worsened by the insects and rodents biting and crawling on ourbodies.”
He said his young daughter’s body was swollen from the bites of mosquitoes, but the hospital they went to could not give them any medications.
Rafaat Al Jaidi, 55, said he used to sit outside his home in Gaza city with his neighbours but this was no longer possible.
“Flies, mosquitoes and other insects have infested the street, making one disgusted with the thought of even staying there,” he told The National.
“We have never experienced such a situation or weather before, with rubbish surrounding us wherever we go, covering the sidewalks and streets. We find ourselves struggling through it every time we walk.”