Across Gaza’s shattered streets, where walls have vanished and neighbourhoods lie flattened, another danger lingers long after the bombs fall silent. In the grey haze rising from pulverised homes, asbestos fibres drift through the air unnoticed, settling into the lungs of people searching for what remains of their lives. With no protective gear, residents and debris-clearance workers breathe in dust that carries a threat far more insidious than the explosions that created it, a toxin capable of triggering severe diseases years or even decades later.

The colossal scale of destruction has compounded the crisis. Entire districts built with asbestos-containing materials have been reduced to rubble, leaving millions of microscopic fibres suspended in the air. International assessments indicate that clearing the debris will take decades and require vast financial resources, but the urgency lies in the invisible particles now mixing with the wind in crowded residential areas. These fibres, especially those used in lightweight roofing, are among the world’s most carcinogenic substances, linked to lung cancer, mesothelioma, and chronic respiratory illnesses.

For many families, the danger revealed itself only after the dust had already been inhaled. Fares Al-Huwaiti, who returned with his sons to sift through the ruins of their collapsed home, described the scene as “walking through poison without knowing it.” Their symptoms, persistent coughing, chest irritation, and breathing difficulties, were the first signs of asbestos exposure. Local doctors warn that such early reactions may evolve into life-threatening conditions over time, especially without proper medical monitoring or protective measures.

Environmental specialists in Gaza have echoed growing concerns, noting that explosions have shredded asbestos sheets into fibres so fine that they cling to the air and enter the respiratory system unnoticed. With no equipment, no testing capacity, and no safe disposal methods available, they urge residents to avoid rubble when possible and use masks and protective clothing, items that remain scarce. Experts are calling for immediate international intervention to assess contamination, provide safety supplies, and prevent a long-term public-health disaster from taking root amid the ruins.