Satellite imagery and firsthand accounts reveal the extensive environmental and agricultural damage in Gaza, with nearly half the territory's trees destroyed and critical ecosystems decimated.
Kaamil Ahmed, Damien Gayle, and Aseel Mousa report for The Guardian.
In short:
- Satellite imagery analysis indicates a loss of 38-48% of Gaza's tree cover, impacting agriculture and biodiversity severely.
- The destruction extends to farmlands, olive groves, and the contamination of soil and water, raising concerns over long-term ecological damage.
- Calls are mounting for this widespread environmental destruction to be investigated as "ecocide" and potentially a war crime, given its severe and lasting impacts.
Key quote:
"This life is not life. There is pollution everywhere – in the air, in the water we bathe in, in the water we drink, in the food we eat, in the area around us."
— Soha Abu Diab, displaced resident of Gaza City
Why this matters:
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the conflict in Gaza has led to a significant increase in pollution, including hazardous materials being released into the environment. Infrastructure damage has resulted in at least 100,000 cubic meters of sewage and wastewater being dumped daily onto land or into the Mediterranean Sea.
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