The Gaza Strip is facing a severe environmental crisis after widespread destruction left enormous quantities of rubble and building debris across the territory, alongside the extensive use of munitions and explosives and the destruction of water, sewage and other critical infrastructure.
The crisis is particularly acute in Gaza’s soil and water systems. Assessing the full extent of the contamination has become extremely difficult after the Public Health Laboratory was completely destroyed during the war, severely limiting the ability of health authorities to conduct advanced environmental and laboratory testing.
Ayman al-Ramlawi, director of the Environmental Health and Occupational Safety Department at the Ministry of Health, described Gaza’s current environmental situation as “extremely dangerous”.
He said the unprecedented quantities of rubble, combined with large-scale use of explosives and the destruction of water and sewage networks, facilities and infrastructure, have created serious risks to both the environment and public health.
Rubble Could Contaminate Soil and Groundwater
Speaking to Arabi21, al-Ramlawi warned that Gaza’s rubble does not consist solely of concrete and stone.
It may also contain asbestos, metals, paints, oils, fuel, chemicals and various other hazardous materials.
When rain falls, he explained, these pollutants can be washed into the soil and from there seep into groundwater.
The destruction of sewage networks has added another layer of danger.
Untreated wastewater is leaking into the environment, while absorption pits have become increasingly widespread, particularly in displacement areas.
According to reports from the Environmental Quality Authority cited by al-Ramlawi, there are now more than 300,000 absorption pits across the Gaza Strip.
Their proliferation significantly increases the risk of contamination reaching both soil and groundwater.
Destruction of Testing Laboratories
Determining the actual level of contamination in Gaza’s soil or groundwater requires a large-scale sampling programme capable of analysing chemical pollutants, heavy metals and residues from different materials.
That capacity has been severely weakened.
Al-Ramlawi said the Ministry of Health’s Public Health Laboratory was completely destroyed during the war, significantly affecting Gaza’s ability to conduct advanced environmental and laboratory examinations.
The remaining laboratory capacity is extremely limited.
Current testing is largely restricted to microbiological water tests and some basic chemical examinations.
According to al-Ramlawi, the Ministry of Health does not currently possess the laboratory capabilities required to conduct comprehensive screening for heavy metals, complex chemical pollutants or explosive residues in either water or soil.
As a result, authorities face a dangerous gap between the scale of potential contamination and their ability to accurately measure it.
Gaza’s Water Crisis Predates the War
Gaza’s water problems did not begin with the current war.
Al-Ramlawi said the territory was already facing serious difficulties because of salinity in the groundwater aquifer and declining water quality.
The war, however, has dramatically worsened those conditions.
Wells, water networks, sewage systems and treatment plants have been destroyed, while untreated wastewater has leaked into the environment and enormous pressure has been placed on the remaining water sources.
“We are not only talking today about a crisis in the quantity of water or a shortage of drinking water. We are facing an accumulated environmental problem with long-term consequences for groundwater, soil and public health,” al-Ramlawi said.
He stressed that Gaza requires a comprehensive environmental survey and advanced laboratory testing to accurately determine the extent of chemical contamination.
Gaza Municipality Warns of a Catastrophic Water Crisis
Gaza Municipality has warned that the water crisis has reached catastrophic levels and that, if current conditions continue, residents could face a genuine threat of severe thirst.
The municipality said the danger is being intensified by Israel’s continued prevention of sufficient quantities of consumables, maintenance materials, fuel, spare parts and industrial oils from entering Gaza.
Municipality spokesperson Hosni Muhanna previously told Arabi21 that the destruction of wells, water networks, pumping stations and desalination facilities, combined with shortages of fuel, spare parts and maintenance materials, had caused a sharp decline in the amount of water available to residents.
Gaza City Faces a 70% Water Deficit
In Gaza City alone, daily water requirements are estimated at around 100,000 cubic metres.
Even under the best current conditions, only about 30,000 cubic metres are available each day, leaving an estimated deficit of 70 per cent.
The shortage follows the destruction by Israeli forces of around 72 major water wells that had supplied the city.
Muhanna warned that even the limited quantities currently available are at risk of further decline as electricity generators used to pump water stop operating because of fuel shortages.
The situation is compounded by Israel’s prevention of the entry of spare parts and industrial oils required for regular maintenance.
The sewage crisis is continuing at the same time.
Around 24,000 cubic metres of untreated wastewater are flowing into the sea every day, further increasing environmental and health risks.
Muhanna called for urgent international intervention to pressure Israel to open the crossings and allow the entry of fuel, maintenance materials, spare parts, pumps, pipes and other equipment required to restore and rehabilitate Gaza’s water system.
He also called for municipalities to be provided with machinery as well as financial and technical support.
Muhanna stressed that water is not a secondary service but a fundamental requirement for survival.
Continued restrictions on the materials needed to operate Gaza’s water infrastructure, he warned, threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands of people while increasing the danger of disease and epidemics, particularly in displacement camps and shelters.
