The Gaza Strip’s coastline, once a vital outlet for nearly two million Palestinians, has become a health hazard, with thousands of cubic meters of untreated sewage flowing into it. As the freshwater crisis worsens and temperatures soar, thousands of displaced people on the beach find themselves trapped by the stench and the risk of disease outbreaks within their tents.
According to an Al Jazeera report, Saeb Laqan, spokesperson for the Khan Younis municipality (in the south), stated that the municipality is forced to pump more than 6,000 cubic meters of untreated sewage directly into the sea.
In his interview with Al Jazeera, Laqan described the situation as a major humanitarian tragedy that threatens to lead to even more dangerous scenarios and widespread disease outbreaks if the crisis is not resolved urgently. In the same vein, the United Nations warned that the Israeli war has caused severe environmental damage and a critical shortage of fresh water in the Gaza Strip. For his part, Saeed Al-Aklouk, an official at the Ministry of Health’s monitoring department, explained to Al Jazeera that the dumping of raw sewage without dismantling or treatment has caused simultaneous and widespread pollution of the water, sand, and air.
This environmental disaster directly impacts the daily lives of displaced people. Ayoub Al-Shanbari, displaced from Beit Hanoun to the Khan Younis coast, explained that the continuous pumping of sewage around the clock has prevented residents from using the beach to escape the intense heat of their tents.
Testimonies from displaced people, given to Al Jazeera, revealed that many have been forced to camp directly next to sewage outlets due to the lack of any other alternative location. This has deprived them of sleep and caused respiratory problems, in addition to cases of miscarriage among pregnant women due to the pungent odors and the pollution surrounding the tents.
The Gaza sea has become a desperate refuge for residents living in tents and enduring the sweltering heat, despite its pollution caused by the direct pumping of untreated sewage into its shores. This pollution is a consequence of the shutdown of treatment plants due to fuel shortages and the destruction of infrastructure.
The Union of Municipalities of the Gaza Strip had warned last August of a continuous deterioration in the water and sanitation system, in light of the shortage of fuel and oils needed to operate generators, wells and pumping stations.
