Gaza:Palestinian authorities have raised alarms about a looming environmental and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip due to massive destruction attributed to the Israeli genocide. The devastation has resulted in the accumulation of approximately 68 million tonnes of rubble, along with significant damage to agricultural land, water infrastructure, and sewage networks.
According to Jordan News Agency, the Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority issued a statement on Friday, coinciding with the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, which is observed annually on November 6. The statement detailed that between 61 million and 68 million tonnes of rubble have accumulated across Gaza as a direct result of Israeli actions.
The rubble reportedly includes approximately 4 million tonnes of hazardous waste and at least 50,000 tonnes of asbestos, a carcinogenic material widely used in construction and insulation. Furthermore, the authority reported that the Israeli war has led to the destruction of 82 percent of agricultural land, 97 percent of fruit trees, and 84 percent of water and sewage infrastructure.
The devastation has caused about 120,000 cubic meters of untreated sewage to be discharged daily into the streets and water bodies in Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces and settlers have committed 760 environmental violations from the start of the year through September's end. These violations targeted agricultural land, vegetation, water resources, and infrastructure, described by the authority as "environmental genocide."
The authority's statement highlighted 203 attacks on agricultural land and nature reserves, including the destruction of olive groves and the construction of settlement roads under the guise of military needs or the "Israeli Antiquities Law." Additionally, 178 attacks on forests and vegetation were recorded, involving the uprooting of approximately 100,000 olive trees, which resulted in estimated losses of $67 million.
In Jenin and Tulkarm governorates, there were 185 violations involving waste and hazardous debris, with attempts to smuggle hazardous waste into Qalqilya and Tulkarm for burial being intercepted. Other violations included attacks on food security, water resources, and transmission lines, which the authority described as "environmental war crimes." The authority urged the international community to assume its responsibilities and support Palestinians in managing and protecting their natural resources.