Gaza:Amman Palestinian authorities have sounded an alarm over a looming environmental and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, attributing it to widespread destruction caused by what they describe as an Israeli genocide. This destruction has resulted in approximately 68 million tonnes of rubble, along with severe damage to agricultural land, water infrastructure, and sewage networks.
According to Federation of Arab News Agencies, 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. The statement notes that between 61 million and 68 million tonnes of rubble have accumulated in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli actions.
The accumulated debris includes around 4 million tonnes of hazardous waste and at least 50,000 tonnes of asbestos, a carcinogenic material used in construction and insulation. Further exacerbating the situation, the conflict has devastated 82 percent of agricultural land, 97 percent of olive and other fruit trees, and 84 percent of water and sewage infrastructure. This destruction has led to the discharge of approximately 120,000 cubic meters of untreated sewage daily into Gaza's streets and water bodies.
In the occupied West Bank, the Environmental Quality Authority reported 760 environmental violations by Israeli forces and settlers from the beginning of the year through September. These acts targeted agricultural land, vegetation, water resources, and infrastructure and were described as part of an "environmental genocide." The violations involved bulldozing olive groves, constructing settlement roads, and seizing land under military pretexts or the "Israeli Antiquities Law."
Additionally, the authority documented 178 attacks on forests and vegetation, resulting in the uprooting of thousands of trees, including about 100,000 olive trees, causing estimated losses of $67 million. There were also instances of burning wheat and barley fields. Waste and hazardous demolition debris, especially in Jenin and Tulkarm, contributed to 185 violations, while attempts to smuggle hazardous waste into Qalqilya and Tulkarm were intercepted.
Other reported violations included incidents targeting food security and livestock, as well as attacks on water resources, irrigation networks, and sewage systems. The authority labeled these actions as "environmental war crimes" and called on the international community to take responsibility, end the occupation, and allow Palestinians to manage and protect their natural resources.