Palestinians returning to ‘toxic wasteland’ in northern Gaza
Tents set up amid heavily damaged buildings in Jabalia in northern Gaza
Al Jazeera reports on 10 February 2025:
Displaced Palestinians returning to northern Gaza have found once-bustling cities reduced to toxic wastelands, according to residents and aid agencies.
Shocked by the level of destruction, Gaza City residents are calling for action over a building sanitation crisis in the enclave’s largest city, Al Jazeera reported on Monday.
A scene of devastation has met those hoping to rebuild their lives in the northern reaches of the enclave, the focus of the most concentrated Israeli military action during the war. The dangers posed by damaged buildings are matched by missing public services and streets filled with heaps of rubbish.
Last month’s ceasefire deal prompted a rush by displaced people to return to the north. However, Gaza City remains without running water or reliable power. Towns are lacking basic services like water and healthcare, said Tess Ingram of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). They’ve been shocked by what they’ve returned to,” she said from Gaza City. “They had hoped that their homes, their neighbourhoods, their communities maybe had been spared. And as they come back here and realise that’s not the case, the hope they’ve been holding onto for 15 months crashes.”
Mounds of toxic rubbish litter central areas of the city, including the business centre, amplifying the spread of disease. “Accumulation of waste in the vicinity of hospitals gives rise to grave health risks, mainly the outbreak of diseases and epidemics,” said Amin al-Alia, a nurse at Ahli Hospital.
“It is extremely dangerous,” resident Ahmed Nasser told Al Jazeera. “We hope it is removed at the earliest possible time.” “This area has turned as scary as haunted woods,” added shop owner Majid Bassam. “It is rife with insects, stray dogs, you name it. It is a vast area of wasteland.”