UNRWA: 330,000 Tons of Waste Accumulated in Gaza

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) confirmed today, Thursday, that over 330,000 tons of waste have accumulated in populated areas throughout the Gaza Strip. UNRWA indicated that this piled-up waste poses catastrophic environmental and health risks to the residents of the strip, who are living under difficult conditions due to the ongoing Israeli war on the region for more than 250 days. It clarified that "children are rummaging through the garbage daily." The agency asserted that the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid and a ceasefire are now essential for restoring living conditions. Meanwhile, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) stated on Wednesday that approximately 3,000 malnourished children are at risk of death due to their deprivation of necessary treatment as a result of the Israeli offensive on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. UNICEF noted in its statement a "slight improvement in the delivery of food aid to northern Gaza, while the flow of humanitarian aid to the south has significantly decreased, placing more children at risk of malnutrition." The organization explained that "the horrific violence and displacement affect desperate families' access to healthcare facilities and services."