The government media office in Gaza has warned of serious environmental and health repercussions in the northern Gaza Strip with the accumulation of piles of house rubble, containing the decomposing bodies of thousands of martyrs that are being tampered with by stray animals.

The office has pointed to the need for medical delegations and special mechanisms not available to deal with this issue.

The head of the government media office in Gaza, Salama Marouf, stated on Monday that the northern Gaza Strip is exposed to unprecedented health problems and environmental pollution, threatening serious health and ecological repercussions for more than 700,000 people living in those areas, in light of overcrowding.

Marouf reported "mountains of waste, hundreds of temporary mass graves, and the rubble of homes in various regions,” estimating that “the waste spread at about 75 thousand tons, with hundreds of thousands of tons of rubble and rubble of homes destroyed by the occupation."

Marouf explained that hepatitis and skin diseases have spread, and the environment has become a breeding ground for flies, mosquitoes, insects, and harmful reptiles, in addition to the harmful fumes from fires.

According to the statement, "The piles of rubble and ruins of houses, including the bodies of thousands of martyrs decomposing underneath, constitute a serious health and environmental hazard, as they emit odors and are exposed to the tampering of stray animals and dogs, which increases the transmission of diseases and infections and deprives these martyrs of human dignity to be buried properly."

In addition, there are hundreds of temporary mass graves which citizens have been forced to use due to the inaccessibility of the Eastern Cemetery and all of them lack environmental safety conditions.” 

Marouf warned in the statement that “this situation is getting worse in light of the inability of municipalities to deal with these huge quantities of waste and rubble, due to the lack of appropriate machinery and equipment, after the occupation bombed dozens of municipal equipment and machinery, as well as the lack of sufficient fuel to use available materials and machinery."

He warned of an imminent environmental catastrophe and held the Israeli occupation "fully responsible" while calling for a swift intervention to provide the necessary needs for municipalities and civil defense to tackle the situation, particularly emphasizing the need for "machinery, equipment, and fuel."

Marouf stressed the necessity for UNRWA and all international institutions and organizations to return to work in the areas of the northern Gaza Strip, and to carry out their functional and humanitarian duty towards the Palestinian people.

'Israel' denied 41% UN aid missions to Gaza between April 6-12: OCHA

41% of UN-coordinated aid missions to northern Gaza between 6 and 12 April were "impeded or denied access" by "Israel", the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) posted on X on April 14. 

The UN office further urged the Israeli occupation to "facilitate humanitarian support" by highlighting that its obligation ends when aid reaches Palestinians. 

41% of @UN-coordinated aid missions to northern #Gaza between 6 and 12 April were impeded or denied access.

The Israeli authorities' obligation to facilitate humanitarian support only ends when aid reaches civilians.#AccessDenied

More: https://t.co/5jlmTLkGFl pic.twitter.com/hZtW6xZDl5

— OCHA oPt (Palestine) (@ochaopt) April 14, 2024

The Ministry of Health in Gaza reported today that the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza due to the Israeli genocide since October 7 has risen to 33,797 and those injured to 76,465. 

Israeli occupation forces committed seven massacres in the past 24 hours against families in Gaza, killing 68 Palestinians and injuring 94 others.

The ministry stressed that victims are still under the rubble on the streets, as the IOF deliberately prevented ambulances and civil defense crews from reaching them.