Hundreds of thousands of tons of waste across Gaza remain uncollected, UNRWA said
More than 270,000 tonnes of solid waste across the Gaza Strip remains uncollected, the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said on Tuesday, as Israel’s military campaign disrupted essential services in the area. In January and February, UNRWA and the UN Development Program collected 10,000 tons of solid waste in Gaza.
Scores displaced: As of April 21, up to 1.7 million people (more than 75% of the entire population) have been displaced across Gaza, the majority multiple times, UNRWA estimates.
Israeli attacks have intensified in central Gaza and the southern city of Khan Younis in recent weeks, uprooting “large numbers of displaced people” further south, UNRWA said, adding, “Families have had to move repeatedly in search of safety.” In northern Gaza Governorate and Gaza City, about 300,000 people are estimated to have taken refuge.
Aid operations hampered: Efforts to provide aid to Palestinians in northern Gaza have been “limited” the agency said, claiming that Israeli authorities had blocked aid missions to the area.
Israel has a long-standing issue with UNRWA, having accused some staff of direct involvement in the October 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel. An independent study noted that “Israel has yet to provide supporting evidence” for its claims.
Health system in ruins: As of April 17, eight of UNRWA’s 24 health centers were operational across northern, central Gaza and the south, as Israel’s siege of Gaza has reduced supplies of food, fuel and water, and severely damaged the medical system.