Between October 7, 2023 and April 2024, the Israeli military dropped tens of thousands of bombs on Gaza, and in January 2024 between 50% and 62% of all buildings were damaged or destroyed. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) estimates that Israel's bombing has created 37 million tons of debris and hazardous materials, many of which contain human remains and bombs.[2]​[4]​ UNEP has found that heavy bombing of populated areas such as the Gaza Strip contaminates soils and groundwater over the long term. This is due to the munitions themselves and when damaged and destroyed buildings release hazardous materials, such as asbestos, fuel and industrial chemicals, into the air, soil and groundwater.[2]​[12]​ UNEP states:[2]​.

This statement was echoed by the UN special rapporteur on human rights and the environment, David Boyd, who said that Israeli military operations had disastrous consequences for the environment and climate in Gaza due to widespread pollution, loss of biodiversity, widespread pollution and the continuation of the climate crisis.[2][13] UNHCR special rapporteur on adequate housing, Balakrishnan Rajagopal, and other experts have called the destruction of domicide.[14]​[15]​[16]​.

The siege has led to the complete collapse of Gaza's civilian infrastructure; Sewage treatment, waste disposal, water management and fuel supply have broken down. In the 150 days since October 7, 70,000 tons of solid waste had accumulated in Gaza and 60 informal waste dumps were created in central and southern Gaza.[2] On October 7, 2023, Israel cut off fuel supplies to Gaza and the resulting power outages prevented the pumping of wastewater to treatment plants. This has led to 100,000 cubic meters of wastewater being dumped into the sea every day.[2]​ Groundwater has been contaminated by toxins and munitions.[2]​ Soils have been degraded by the uprooting of trees and contaminated by toxins, munitions, heavy bombing and demolitions.[2]​ The air in Gaza has been contaminated by smoke and particles from bombings.[2]​.

Famine

Due to a combination of destruction of agricultural land, displacement of people, shelling, and the Israeli blockade, the Gaza Strip is experiencing famine.[17]​[18]​ Most of Gaza's population is at imminent risk of starvation.[3][19]​.

Long term impact

The Dutch peace organization PAX has stated: “War usually brings everything down. In Gaza, it exposes people to additional risks due to pollution, contaminated groundwater. It is the destruction of everything that civilians depend on.”[2] Pehr Lodhammar, former head of the United Nations National Mine Action Service for Iraq, has estimated that the rubble will take 14 years to clear. The Forensic Architecture research group at Goldsmiths, University of London, described the destruction as systematic and that the Israeli military is intentionally targeting Gaza's agriculture, stating that "what remains is devastation... an area that is no longer habitable."[1]​[2][5]​ They said:[1][5]​.

The scale and lasting impact of the destruction in Gaza has led to calls for the Israeli government to be investigated for the war crime of ecocide under the Rome Statute for "serious, widespread and long-lasting damage to the natural environment". environmental NGOs") stated: "What is happening is, for sure, ecocide... [This] is completely damaging the environment in Gaza in the long term, not just in the short term."[2]​.

The research project No Traces of Life, Ecocide in Gaza 2023 – 2024 by the Forensic Architecture research group at Goldsmiths, University of London, found that “The destruction of agricultural land and infrastructure in Gaza is a deliberate act of ecocide... the selected farms and greenhouses are critical to the local production of food for a population already under siege that lasts decades. The effects of this systematic agricultural destruction are exacerbated by other deliberate acts of deprivation of resources critical to Palestinian survival in Gaza.

Between October 7, 2023 and April 2024, the Israeli military dropped tens of thousands of bombs on Gaza, and in January 2024 between 50% and 62% of all buildings were damaged or destroyed. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) estimates that Israel's bombing has created 37 million tons of debris and hazardous materials, many of which contain human remains and bombs.[2]​[4]​ UNEP has found that heavy bombing of populated areas such as the Gaza Strip contaminates soils and groundwater over the long term. This is due to the munitions themselves and when damaged and destroyed buildings release hazardous materials, such as asbestos, fuel and industrial chemicals, into the air, soil and groundwater.[2]​[12]​ UNEP states:[2]​.

This statement was echoed by the UN special rapporteur on human rights and the environment, David Boyd, who said that Israeli military operations had disastrous consequences for the environment and climate in Gaza due to widespread pollution, loss of biodiversity, widespread pollution and the continuation of the climate crisis.[2][13] UNHCR special rapporteur on adequate housing, Balakrishnan Rajagopal, and other experts have called the destruction of domicide.[14]​[15]​[16]​.

The siege has led to the complete collapse of Gaza's civilian infrastructure; Sewage treatment, waste disposal, water management and fuel supply have broken down. In the 150 days since October 7, 70,000 tons of solid waste had accumulated in Gaza and 60 informal waste dumps were created in central and southern Gaza.[2] On October 7, 2023, Israel cut off fuel supplies to Gaza and the resulting power outages prevented the pumping of wastewater to treatment plants. This has led to 100,000 cubic meters of wastewater being dumped into the sea every day.[2]​ Groundwater has been contaminated by toxins and munitions.[2]​ Soils have been degraded by the uprooting of trees and contaminated by toxins, munitions, heavy bombing and demolitions.[2]​ The air in Gaza has been contaminated by smoke and particles from bombings.[2]​.

Famine

Due to a combination of destruction of agricultural land, displacement of people, shelling, and the Israeli blockade, the Gaza Strip is experiencing famine.[17]​[18]​ Most of Gaza's population is at imminent risk of starvation.[3][19]​.

Long term impact

The Dutch peace organization PAX has stated: “War usually brings everything down. In Gaza, it exposes people to additional risks due to pollution, contaminated groundwater. It is the destruction of everything that civilians depend on.”[2] Pehr Lodhammar, former head of the United Nations National Mine Action Service for Iraq, has estimated that the rubble will take 14 years to clear. The Forensic Architecture research group at Goldsmiths, University of London, described the destruction as systematic and that the Israeli military is intentionally targeting Gaza's agriculture, stating that "what remains is devastation... an area that is no longer habitable."[1]​[2][5]​ They said:[1][5]​.

The scale and lasting impact of the destruction in Gaza has led to calls for the Israeli government to be investigated for the war crime of ecocide under the Rome Statute for "serious, widespread and long-lasting damage to the natural environment". environmental NGOs") stated: "What is happening is, for sure, ecocide... [This] is completely damaging the environment in Gaza in the long term, not just in the short term."[2]​.

The research project No Traces of Life, Ecocide in Gaza 2023 – 2024 by the Forensic Architecture research group at Goldsmiths, University of London, found that “The destruction of agricultural land and infrastructure in Gaza is a deliberate act of ecocide... the selected farms and greenhouses are critical to the local production of food for a population already under siege that lasts decades. The effects of this systematic agricultural destruction are exacerbated by other deliberate acts of deprivation of resources critical to Palestinian survival in Gaza.