Gaza's Towering Trash Crisis Nears End as UN Launches Massive Cleanup

A massive garbage dump in Gaza City, formed after the October 2023 war, is set to be removed under a new United Nations project. The 300,000 cubic metre landfill, towering 13 metres high, has created severe health and environmental risks for local residents. The initiative aims to relocate the waste to a modern waste management facility and restore cleaner living conditions in the area.

Before the conflict, Gaza operated a working waste collection system, with refuse transported to the main landfill at Juhr Al-Dik near the Israeli border. But after the war, blockades cut off access, forcing waste to pile up in Gaza City's Fras Market. The resulting dump quickly grew into a hazardous eyesore, spreading disease and pollution.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has now launched a six-month project to clear the site. Waste will be moved to a new temporary landfill in Abu Jarad, south of Gaza City, built to meet modern environmental standards. The facility is designed to handle daily waste collection safely.

Funding for the project comes from the Humanitarian Fund and the European Union's Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. Local residents, including those who scavenge the dump for reusable materials, have welcomed the effort. Authorities stress that relocating the garbage is a key step toward improving public health and living conditions in the region.

The UNDP's waste removal plan will address a major environmental crisis caused by the war's aftermath. Once complete, the project will eliminate a 300,000 cubic metre dump and transfer waste to a compliant site. Officials hope this will reduce health risks and restore basic sanitation for Gaza's residents.