UN agency begins clearing huge Gaza City waste dump as health risks mount

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has begun clearing a massive wartime garbage dump in Gaza City, a site that has become both an environmental hazard and a serious public health risk. The dump, which formed during the Gaza war that began in October 2023, swallowed one of the city’s oldest commercial districts, the Fras Market, after municipal crews were blocked from reaching Gaza’s main landfill in Juhr al‑Dik. That area is now under full Israeli control, leaving waste to pile up unchecked for more than two years.

According to UNDP officials, the mound of solid waste is staggering—over 300,000 cubic metres (390,000 cubic yards) in volume and rising to 13 metres (14 yards) high. The accumulation has created a breeding ground for disease, with residents reporting worsening sanitation conditions, foul odors, and infestations of rodents and insects. Public health experts warn that the dump poses risks of water contamination and respiratory illness, especially for families living nearby.

The UNDP’s Gaza office chief, Alessandro Mrakic, said the operation to clear the site has now begun, with plans to transfer the waste to a new temporary storage area over the next six months. The initiative is seen as critical not only for environmental safety but also for restoring parts of Gaza City that were once vibrant commercial hubs.

The project highlights the broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where infrastructure has been devastated by years of conflict. With municipal services crippled, international agencies have stepped in to fill the gap, but the scale of the challenge remains immense. Clearing the dump is expected to improve living conditions for thousands of residents, though long‑term solutions will depend on rebuilding Gaza’s waste management systems and ensuring access to secure landfill sites.

This effort by the UNDP is one of the most visible attempts to address the environmental fallout of the war, showing how basic public health measures—like waste removal—are now central to humanitarian relief in Gaza.