Up to 68 million tons of debris have piled up across the Gaza Strip due to military destruction. The Palestinian Environment Quality Authority released the figures on Wednesday, coinciding with the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict on November 6.
Officials stated that the total volume of accumulated rubble ranges between 61 million and 68 million tons. This includes roughly 4 million tons of hazardous waste, with at least 50,000 tons of asbestos mixed into the debris. Asbestos is a carcinogenic fibrous material historically used in insulation and construction.
Agricultural sectors and public services have suffered heavy losses during the conflict. The military offensive destroyed 82 percent of agricultural land in Gaza and wiped out 97 percent of olive trees and other fruit-bearing trees. Water and sewage infrastructure sustained an 84 percent destruction rate.
The collapse of sanitation networks forced widespread contamination. Around 120,000 cubic meters of untreated wastewater now spill daily into streets and water basins throughout the enclave.
The conflict has caused massive human casualties since October 2023. More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 175,000 others have sustained injuries alongside the widespread destruction of civilian structures.
The authority also documented separate violations in the occupied West Bank, recording 760 environmental attacks in the territory between January and September. These incidents targeted agricultural lands, local vegetation, water sources and civil infrastructure.
A breakdown of the West Bank figures shows distinct categories of damage. Agricultural land and nature reserves suffered 203 attacks, including the bulldozing of olive groves, the building of settlement roads and land seizures for military and settlement use.
Forests and vegetation faced 178 separate assaults. Thousands of trees were uprooted during these operations, including nearly 100,000 olive trees, and financial losses from these tree destructions reached an estimated 67 million dollars.
Other recorded violations included 185 incidents of hazardous demolition debris and waste dumping. Attacks on livestock and food security totalled 52, while incidents targeting water wells and sources reached 37. Water pipelines and irrigation networks faced 35 attacks, and sewage systems were targeted in five separate incidents.
The authority urged the international community to intervene immediately. It called for action to halt these violations and to allow Palestinians to protect and control their natural resources.
Violence and military raids by occupying forces against Palestinians and their properties have escalated across the West Bank since the Gaza war began. These actions include killings, mass arrests, home demolitions, land bulldozing, forced displacement and continued settlement expansion.
