[News] Gaza faces a massive environmental disaster as millions of tons of rubble and unexploded ordnance block aid delivery

[Anti-Imperialist News]

english.almayadeen.net 
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/gaza-buried-under-70-million-tons-of-debris--20-000-uxos> 



  Gaza buried under 70 million tons of debris, 20,000 lingering UXOs

Al Mayadeen English
October 16, 2025
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Gaza faces a massive environmental disaster as millions of tons of 
rubble and unexploded ordnance block aid delivery, with "Israel" still 
banning equipment for recovery efforts.

  * Gaza buried under 70 million tons of war debris as crisis deepens
    <https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2025/10/16/271ae401-62c6-45ff-b71c-777a680bd4ef.jpg?v=2&width=1000>
    Destroyed buildings and rubble are seen in the al-Zaytoun
    neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025 (/AP/)

Authorities in Gaza have warned that the scale of destruction 
<https://english.almayadeen.net/videos/gaza-city-in-total-ruins--iof-leave-behind-trails-of-total-d> 
caused by "Israel’s" two-year-long genocidal war has reached an 
unprecedented level in modern history.

According to government estimates as of mid-October 2025, the enclave 
now holds between 65 and 70 million tons of debris and rubble, the 
remains of thousands of homes, public buildings, and vital 
infrastructure deliberately destroyed by Israeli occupation forces.

Officials described the devastation as unparalleled, turning Gaza into 
an environmental and structural disaster zone that severely hinders the 
delivery of humanitarian aid and obstructs ongoing rescue and relief 
operations.


    Immense challenges

Efforts to clear the wreckage are expected to face immense challenges 
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/debris-from-destruction-adds-to-health-crisis-in-gaza--un>, 
primarily due to the Israeli ban on the entry of heavy machinery and 
construction equipment, coupled with the continued closure of all border 
crossings. "Israel" has also deliberately prevented the entry of 
essential materials and tools needed to recover bodies from beneath the 
ruins, the authorities said.

“This tragic reality demands that the international community fulfill 
its legal and moral responsibilities,” the statement read, urging 
immediate global pressure on "Israel" to reopen crossings and allow the 
start of large-scale debris removal across the devastated territory.

Preliminary assessments further indicate the presence of approximately 
20,000 unexploded ordnances, including bombs and missiles dropped by the 
Israeli occupation forces, posing an extreme threat to civilians and 
field workers. Experts warn that these deadly remnants require 
specialized technical and security handling before clearance operations 
can begin safely.

Officials emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive debris 
management plan that includes site mapping, hazardous waste disposal, 
and strategies for recycling and temporary storage of debris. Such a 
framework, they said, is essential to safely restore life in Gaza and 
rebuild what has become one of the most extensive humanitarian 
catastrophes in modern history.


    85% of Khan Younis destroyed, City struggles under massive ruin

Last week, the Khan Younis Municipality announced that 85% of the city 
has been destroyed as aresult of the Israeli war 
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/1m-palestinians-under-hundreds-of-israeli-bombs-in-mawasi--k>, 
with an estimated 400,000 tons of rubble requiring removal from streets 
and neighborhoods.

Speaking at a press conference, the mayor of Khan Younis detailed the 
scale of devastation, noting that 300 kilometers of water networks have 
been completely destroyed, while 75% of the city’s sewage system has 
sustained severe damage, worsening both health and environmental 
conditions for residents.

The municipality is also grappling with an accumulation of over 350,000 
tons of waste, a crisis compounded by severely limited resources and 
increasingly hazardous working conditions.

The mayor reported that only nine municipal teams are currently 
operational, working to clear blocked roads and critical access points. 
However, he emphasized that their efforts are at risk of stalling due to 
a shortage of diesel fuel.

He further stressed the urgent need for modern machinery capable of 
clearing rubble and heavy debris, as well as new power generators to 
replace those that have been destroyed or rendered inoperable during the 
attacks.

In a similar vein, the United Nations said last Saturday that theIsraeli 
war devastated 
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/unrwa-details-gaza-s-two-years-under-war--famine--and-displa>Gaza 
City, further exacerbating an already severe humanitarian crisis. 
Furthermore, satellite imagery indicated widespread destruction across 
the city.


    Gaza ministry reports 29 martyrs in 24 hours, four by direct IOF fire

Earlier today, health authorities in the Gaza Strip reported 
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/gaza-receives-45-bodies-of-martyrs-released-by-israeli-occup>29 
Palestinians killed and 10 wounded over 24 hours as a result of 
continued Israeli aggression. The latest fatalities include 22 bodies 
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/gaza-ministry-reports-29-martyrs-in-24-hours--four-by-direct> 
retrieved from under the rubble, three individuals who succumbed to 
their wounds, and four killed in direct targeting by the Israeli 
occupation forces.

Civil defense and ambulance crews continue to face serious challenges in 
accessing victims still trapped under debris or lying in the streets, 
due to the destruction and ongoing security threats. Since the beginning 
of the Israeli assault on October 7, 2023, the total number of reported 
casualties has reached 67,967 martyrs and 170,179 injuries, according to 
the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

*Read next:90% of Gaza wiped out, 135,000 tents needed for shelter: 
Media Office 
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/90--of-gaza-wiped-out--135-000-tents-needed-for-shelter--med>*

**

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