Gaza War | Playing on Carcinogenic Rubble

The Gaza War is causing long-term environmental damage that largely goes unnoticed. Experts in the Gaza Strip itself lack the resources to conduct systematic investigations. "It's almost impossible to conduct scientific research in Gaza. Israel doesn't allow the export of biological material, and there are no facilities in the country that could conduct analyses because Israel prohibits the import of the necessary equipment," says Hosam Al-Najar of the Islamic University in Gaza. This makes sound scientific research virtually impossible, and much remains obscure: "We simply don't know what these bombs are doing."

Hosam Al-Najar is working with other experts on the "War and Geos" project, which investigates the connections between war and the environment. Project leader Mark Griffiths reported on the situation on the ground during an event at the Technical University of Dortmund.

Children play on contaminated soil

Hosam Al-Najar described how children play among the rubble on contaminated soil. Carcinogenic toxins could spread through dust into their lungs, but the people of Gaza weren't yet concerned about the aftereffects. First and foremost, Hosam said, they were happy to have escaped the bombs. They didn't know whether they would still be alive tomorrow. "I eat what I know will make me sick . There's nothing else," he told Mark Griffiths over the phone.

During the 2014 Gaza conflict, toxic metals were found in the tissue of war wounded – without a trace of metal fragments, according to a medical study published in the journal BMC International Health and Human Rights.

Toxic heavy metals threaten health

According to Mark Griffiths, toxic heavy metals such as cobalt and depleted uranium can have serious consequences for civilians in war zones. The damage these metals do to people in the form of munitions was already evident in Fallujah, Iraq, when the US used them. Griffiths and his team conducted tests in Fallujah on volunteers who returned to their contaminated homes after the war ended. "In Fallujah, you can see Gaza's future," warned Mark Griffiths.

Depleted uranium was found in the bones of 29 percent of the test subjects, and lead in all of them. Even today, half of all newborns in Fallujah are born with birth defects. The same F16 fighter jets and bombs loaded with cobalt munitions that the US used in Iraq are being used by Israel in Gaza , said Mark Griffiths.

Pregnant women and newborns are particularly at risk

When bombs hit, they release toxic residues into the air and dust, endangering the lives of all Gazans. The consequences of exposure to these metals include cancer, kidney damage, respiratory diseases, infertility, and a weakened immune system, making those affected generally vulnerable to disease.

Pregnant women and newborns are particularly at risk when exposed to harmful substances. As in Fallujah, miscarriages, stillbirths, and birth defects can occur. The B vitamin folate is essential for the healthy development of an unborn child. The very substances that disrupt the metabolism of this vitamin can spread through the air and soil.

White phosphorus makes soils infertile

White phosphorus, which Griffiths says was used by Israel in Gaza, can also have long-term consequences. The residues pollute the air and lead to respiratory diseases and acid rain. This has acute effects, particularly in Gaza, where clean drinking water is scarce. If the phosphorus gets into the soil, it renders the earth infertile. Food production is then no longer possible.

Even at the beginning of the war, Israeli army general Bar Sheshet spoke about what Gaza's land would be like. "Whoever returns here, if anyone returns at all, will find scorched earth. No houses, no agriculture, nothing. They have no future."

Dangers of reconstruction

As displaced people return to their destroyed homes and begin rebuilding, there is a risk of contamination. Health officials recommend wearing scarves and masks to prevent toxic particles from entering the respiratory system. Burying debris instead of burning it also aims to prevent pollutants from spreading into the air. Pregnant women are advised not to help with cleaning, as they could come into contact with dust.

But the best way to prevent disease is to avoid bombing in the first place, says Mark Griffiths. According to US figures, more than 45,000 bombs have been dropped on Gaza since the beginning of the war until June 2024—more than all the bombs dropped on Hamburg, Dresden, and London during World War II.