The United Nations begins removing 370,000 tons of waste in central Gaza – “A glimmer of hope for residents”

About 370,000 tons of waste were accumulated at the site during the war, which lasted for more than two years, turning the area into a hotbed of pollution in light of the collapse of basic services, including garbage collection and sewage systems.

A United Nations news correspondent filmed “mountains of garbage” on both sides of the roads in the heart of Gaza City, as residents moved through rubble and waste, in a scene that reflects the massive scale of the health and environmental crisis facing the city.

UNDP trucks and bulldozers lifted the waste from the street and transported it to places far from residential areas.

Amjad Shawa, head of the Network of Civil Society Associations in the Gaza Strip, stressed the importance of these efforts, telling our correspondent: “This means a lot to the Palestinian citizen in the Gaza Strip, who knows exactly what it means to remove this waste that has caused the spread of many epidemics, diseases, insects, rodents, and stray animals. Starting to remove this waste gives a glimmer of hope to the Palestinian citizen.”

Anwar Helles, who lives close to the area, told our correspondent that the garbage dump poses a great danger to all residents, and spoke of the unpleasant odor resulting from it, the proliferation of mosquitoes and stray dogs, and the great dangers thereof.

Ahmed Hajjaj, who also lives in the area, pointed to the piles of garbage piled up behind him and said: “This view is not suitable for anyone’s life. This results in many diseases and children are exposed to the danger of various insects. Anything that can harm health comes out of this garbage dump. We hope to God that this dump will be removed, that the region will recover, that Gaza will be reconstructed, and that our lives will return to the way it was and better.”

Medical evacuation via Rafah

On the other hand, in terms of medical evacuations, the United Nations teams in Gaza yesterday supported the evacuation of 18 patients and 26 of their companions through the Rafah crossing. It also received 41 returnees to Gaza, at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, where it operates a reception area to assist those returning to the Strip.

Since the reopening of the Rafah crossing in early February, UN teams have facilitated the movement of slightly more than 220 people in both directions.

In his daily press conference, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric stressed the importance of providing more people with the opportunity to move voluntarily and safely – in both directions to and from Gaza – especially for those in need of emergency medical services and other requirements.

He also expressed hope that shipments would be allowed to move through the Rafah crossing, to increase the volume of humanitarian supplies entering the Strip and expand the scope of aid.

On the education front, over the past few days, the United Nations and its partners have distributed additional stationery and toys in the hope of providing a better educational environment for thousands of boys and girls in Gaza.

During the past week, United Nations partners established four new educational centers, serving more than 5,500 students. There are currently about 450 temporary educational centers throughout the Gaza Strip.