Gaza Needs Sustainable Systems for Waste Management, Pest Control

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) affirmed today, Sunday, that the Gaza Strip urgently needs effective and sustainable systems for solid waste management, alongside continuous pest control efforts, amid deteriorating living conditions and the accumulation of waste and debris in vast areas of the Strip.

The UNDP quoted a Palestinian woman named Kamla as saying that protecting her children has become a daily struggle, after her seven-month-old daughter, Sawar, was bitten by a rat while sleeping, upon their return to the remains of their home in Gaza City. The incident reflects the dangers of deteriorating living conditions, the accumulation of waste and debris, and the spread of pests across the Strip.

The programme stated in a post on the “X” platform, monitored by that the UNDP and its partners have affirmed that controlling rodents and other pests is critical to protecting public health, noting that pest control efforts must be accompanied by addressing the conditions that lead to their spread.

The programme pointed out that access to approved waste disposal sites, and the regular provision of essential equipment and supplies, are fundamental to improving waste management and environmental conditions, and to creating safer and more dignified living conditions for the residents of the Gaza Strip.

It affirmed that the UNDP and its partners are working to reduce these risks through solid waste management and pest control efforts, noting that emergency measures alone are not sufficient to address this problem.