Residents of Gaza face an emerging environmental and health crisis as the approaching rainy season threatens to transform millions of tons of rubble into breeding grounds for disease and contamination. Following two years of genocidal war that has left over 78% of buildings damaged or destroyed, families now shelter in partially collapsed structures amid 61 million tons of debris that dominate the landscape. The coming rains are expected to create stagnant water pools mixed with sewage, creating ideal conditions for epidemics while further destabilizing already precarious structures.

Environmental experts warn that the rubble presents multiple threats beyond immediate physical danger. The massive debris fields have become habitats for previously unseen insects and rodents, while the coming winter threatens to wash accumulated waste and toxins into living areas. Additionally, the psychological impact of living in constant fear of structural collapse and environmental contamination is creating a mental health crisis, particularly among children who show increasing signs of trauma and behavioral changes. The situation is compounded by the lack of heavy machinery needed for clearing operations and the absence of safe temporary housing alternatives.

With reconstruction efforts stalled and temporary shelters proving inadequate against seasonal weather, families describe attempting makeshift repairs using tarps and plastic sheeting while knowing these measures offer little protection against winter conditions. The scale of destruction means that even basic infrastructure for water management and waste processing has been obliterated, creating conditions where normal weather patterns now represent a serious threat to public health. The coming months may see the already catastrophic humanitarian situation deteriorate further as environmental factors compound the damage caused by military destruction.