LONDON: The Environmental Quality Authority of Palestine said on Thursday that 66 percent of Gaza’s population is grappling with water-borne diseases such as cholera, chronic diarrhea, and intestinal diseases, reported Palestine News and Information Agency.
The health crisis stems from a shortage of drinkable water and the closure of all water desalination facilities, a situation worsened by the Israeli military assault on the occupied strip.
The authority noted that Israel’s bombardment has devastated sewage systems in Gaza, resulting in their overflow. The Sheikh Radwan Pool, in particular, is severely affected by a combination of rainwater accumulation and sewage leakage.
Emphasizing the gravity of the situation, the authority stressed that it is not only a humanitarian crisis but also an environmental one.
Israel’s military campaign has led to the destruction of approximately 50,000 trees and extensive damage to farmland, nurseries, and home gardens, causing increased desertification, loss of biodiversity, soil degradation, and a rise in carbon dioxide emissions.
The war has also contributed to the accumulation of solid and medical waste, heightened carbon emissions, and exacerbated the impacts of climate change.
