The Gaza Strip is facing a severe environmental crisis following months of Israeli war, with local authorities reporting that around 90% of the enclave’s vegetation has been destroyed and large amounts of waste left uncollected.
Palestinian media quoted Khan Younis Mayor Alaa al-Din al-Batta as saying that the war has “destroyed everything in the Strip as part of a systematic plan that even targeted the natural environment.”
He described the situation as “a real environmental and health catastrophe” that threatens residents’ lives and could lead to the spread of diseases amid the collapse of basic services and ongoing restrictions on humanitarian and debris-removal efforts.
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) said last week that nearly two million tons of untreated waste are scattered across the Gaza Strip, warning of “immense risks” to the environment, groundwater, and public health.
