Gaza Herald– The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said on Saturday that it had removed 5,000 tons of solid waste from various areas across the Gaza Strip.
UNRWA affirmed that its staff is dedicated to maintaining the provision of vital services to communities throughout the Gaza Strip.
Between January 16 and 31, UNRWA teams collected around 5,000 tons of solid waste from collective shelters and nearby areas, while conducting more than 500 cleaning campaigns that benefited over 230,000 displaced people, UNRWA said.
Earlier, Amjad Al-Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGOs Network, announced the beginning of waste removal operations in Gaza City’s Firas Market area, where trash had piled up for months following the outbreak of the war.
Al-Shawa noted on Facebook that some 370,000 metric tons of waste had built up at the site since the war began, creating a major health and environmental risk amid the breakdown of essential services.
Gaza is grappling with a severe environmental crisis as damaged infrastructure and disrupted sanitation services have led to massive waste buildup, increasing the risk of disease and air pollution from decomposing and burning garbage.
Toxic landfill runoff is polluting Gaza’s water, increasing health risks and worsening residents’ quality of life, including mental health impacts like anxiety and depression.
Health specialists have warned that Gaza’s waste buildup poses serious health risks, especially for children and the elderly, including respiratory, skin, and digestive illnesses, with uncontrolled waste burning worsening air pollution.
