Toxins beneath the rubble of Gaza: electronic waste is a silent bomb threatening people’s lives

The rubble of war in the Gaza Strip is no longer a silent witness to destruction. It has become a layer of contamination storing slow-acting toxins.

Among the debris, the remains of homes, hospitals, and schools are mixed with thousands of tonnes of broken electronic devices. This has created what can be described as electronic rubble — a long-term environmental and health hazard. These toxins seep silently into soil, water, and human bodies in one of the most densely populated and besieged places on Earth.

In Gaza, the war has not only caused physical destruction. It has also left behind a new type of waste that the Strip was never equipped to handle. Mobile phones, computers, household appliances, medical equipment, and network cables have been turned into dense electronic waste by bombing. This waste cannot be easily separated from building rubble or safely disposed of.

The suffocating siege and the near-total collapse of Gaza’s waste-management system make the problem even worse.

Gaza figures spell environmental disaster

The United Nations Development Programme estimates that between October 2023 and the end of November 2025, around 900,000 tonnes of solid waste were generated in Gaza. Most of this waste was dumped in temporary sites after the collapse of collection and treatment systems.

Daily waste generation has risen to between 3,300 and 3,850 cubic metres, compared with about 1,300 cubic metres per day before the war. Electronic waste is estimated to make up 10–15% of the total. That equals 90,000 to 135,000 tonnes of toxic devices, metals, and chemicals.

This is equivalent to thousands of buses filled with highly hazardous waste.

An invisible danger — and an indelible impact

According to World Health Organization reports, electronic waste is the fastest-growing form of solid waste worldwide. Less than a quarter of it is recycled. While e-waste contains valuable materials, improper handling poses a serious threat to public health and the environment. This risk is amplified in fragile settings that lack infrastructure and oversight.

The danger lies not only in volume, but in composition.

Burning, landfilling, or unsafe dismantling releases toxic substances such as lead, mercury, and dioxins. These seep into air, soil, and groundwater, enter the food chain, and ultimately reach humans. The WHO warns that children and pregnant women are most vulnerable. Exposure can cause premature birth, neurological damage, and chronic respiratory and immune diseases that may last a lifetime.

Scientific warnings from inside Gaza

Environmental experts in Gaza warn that electronic waste is among the most dangerous threats facing Palestinian society today. It contains electronic chips, heavy metals, and toxic chemicals that persist in the environment for decades.

These materials gradually penetrate soil, contaminate groundwater, and reach people through food and air.

Experts stress that burning or burying electronic waste with ordinary rubbish releases toxic fumes. These gases damage skin and lungs and worsen asthma and heart disease. The risk is intensified because landfills are often close to homes and displacement camps.

Pollution does not stop at the surface. It spreads into groundwater and farmland, threatening food security and public health in the medium and long term.

Unprotected workers — and a crisis without tools

Sanitation workers and waste collectors face even greater danger.

They handle hazardous materials without adequate protective equipment, while the sector suffers severe shortages of resources and capacity. Experts agree that the long-standing blockade, combined with widespread wartime destruction, has paralysed Gaza’s ability to manage complex waste safely.

A silent bomb waiting to explode

Environmental specialists say urgent action is needed. This includes separating e-waste from debris, safely treating toxic materials, providing protective gear for workers, and launching public awareness campaigns.

Without intervention, electronic waste will remain a silent bomb beneath Gaza’s rubble.

It threatens present health, future ecosystems, and adds another layer of suffering to lives already exhausted by siege and war — with consequences that may last decades after the bombing ends.

Featured image via UNRWA