The Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) has released a fact sheet highlighting the repercussions of the solid waste crisis in the Gaza Strip amid genocide, as well as the negative impacts of this waste on life and the environment in the Strip.

The fact sheet addressed how the crisis has significantly worsened since the start of the aggression on the Gaza Strip, with all infrastructure and equipment related to the collection, treatment, and disposal of various types of waste being targeted. It examined the health and environmental effects of the waste crisis, as well as the environmental hazards in displacement and return areas, and their impact on vulnerable groups in their places of refuge.

The fact sheet also emphasized the negative effects of medical waste on different groups of citizens, particularly women, children, and the elderly, as well as the challenges that may hinder future reconstruction efforts. It also touched on legal aspects and the right to a clean and healthy environment under occupation, noting that the deterioration of environmental conditions in Gaza is not only a humanitarian failure but ‎also a breach of the occupying power’s legal obligations, necessitating international ‎accountability before bodies such as the Human Rights Council and the International Court ‎of Justice.‎

It presented a set of recommendations for all stakeholders at various levels, stressing the need to support operational emergency plans led by municipalities with technical backing from UN programs. It also called for intensified advocacy efforts and increased pressure from international agencies and UN bodies to ensure access to the main waste disposal sites in Gaza and their safe and regular operation.

Further, the fact sheet underscored that there can be no talk of human recovery in Gaza without providing a clean and safe environment—starting with waste management and extending to the restoration of dignity.

To download the full fact sheet, follow the link: The Solid Waste Crisis in the Gaza Strip Amid Genocide