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Gaza’s Mediterranean coastline has become the latest casualty of the ongoing conflict, with parts of the waters turning brown as untreated sewage spills into the sea.
Health experts are sounding the alarm over the growing threat of waterborne diseases across the territory, exacerbated by the collapse of essential infrastructure.
Local authorities confirm that the sewage is being directed to the sea from nearby displaced persons camps.
“The increase in the number of displaced people has led to many connecting their own pipes to the rainwater drainage system,” said Abu Yazan Ismael Sarsour, head of the Deir al-Balah emergency committee. The result is a massive flow of untreated wastewater into the Mediterranean, posing severe risks to public health.
Wim Zwijnenburg, an environmental expert from Pax for Peace, confirmed the findings after examining satellite images. He noted that the spill appeared to originate from overcrowded camps where displaced residents have little choice but to dispose of waste directly into the sea.
The ongoing conflict and intensive Israeli bombardment have crippled Gaza’s wastewater management infrastructure, according to a June report by the United Nations. The collapse of this vital infrastructure has left the territory’s sanitation system in disarray, with raw sewage flooding streets and neighborhoods.
The Israeli defense ministry body overseeing Palestinian territories, COGAT, acknowledged the sewage crisis but claimed that a dedicated humanitarian taskforce had been working to improve Gaza’s sewage system.
According to COGAT, efforts have included the restoration of water wells, desalination facilities, and the extension of water pipes. However, independent verification of these improvements remains impossible due to restrictions on journalists entering Gaza.
As the sanitation crisis worsens, health experts warn of a potential outbreak of waterborne diseases. The first case of polio in Gaza in 25 years was reported recently when a 10-month-old baby was partially paralysed after contracting the virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations have called for two one-week ceasefires to vaccinate 600,000 children in Gaza, but the logistics of delivering vaccines under current conditions remain a significant challenge.
Despite COGAT’s claims that there are no restrictions on medical aid, humanitarian organizations on the ground paint a different picture. Oxfam reported that a quarter of Gaza’s population has already fallen ill due to waterborne diseases, with the risk of a cholera epidemic looming large. “We are seeing a catastrophic health crisis unfolding in front of our eyes,” said Lama Abdul Samad, a water and sanitation expert at Oxfam.
In addition to the polio threat, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, reported a surge in Hepatitis A cases, with 40,000 cases since the start of the war, compared to just 85 in the same period beforehand.
The combination of deteriorating infrastructure, overcrowded living conditions, and inadequate sanitation facilities has created a perfect storm for the spread of disease, with cholera being the next potential outbreak.
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