GAZA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- In a trash-strewn alley in western Gaza City, 65-year-old Mohammed Abu Jabal sits outside a makeshift tent, surrounded by six grandchildren and swarms of flies.

Abu Jabal lost his home in an Israeli airstrike 15 months ago. Today, he and his family live in a refugee camp choked by uncollected garbage and stagnant water.

"We used to fear missiles," he said. "Now we also fear disease from garbage. It's a different kind of suffering -- just as terrifying."

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas drags on, Gaza's already fragile sanitation system has collapsed. Fuel shortages, destroyed infrastructure, and lack of equipment have rendered most municipal waste services inoperable.

More than 250,000 tonnes of waste have accumulated across Gaza City, according to Hosny Mohana, a senior official at the local municipality.

"Mountains of garbage are piling up, and we no longer have the resources to remove them," he said. "This is a direct threat to public health and the environment."

Temporary dumping sites in central markets like Al-Yarmouk and Firas -- originally designated for emergencies -- are now overflowing. Residents report toxic fumes and infestations near densely populated neighborhoods.

Access to the main landfill in Juhr al-Deek, once key to Gaza's waste disposal system, remains largely blocked. Mohana cited Israeli movement restrictions, fuel shortages, and damaged heavy equipment as the main obstacles.

"These makeshift landfills have become ecological disasters," he said. "With summer temperatures rising, the risk of disease outbreaks is very real."

The crisis is visible in nearly every corner of the coastal enclave.

In the eastern Shuja'iyya district, 44-year-old Amina al-Ghoul shares a crowded school-turned-shelter with her family.

"The smell is unbearable. The children are getting sick," she said. "We boil the water before drinking, but we're not even sure it's safe."

Another resident, Ibrahim Abu Namous, described living amid the growing mounds of waste as unbearable.

"We can't sleep. The kids are always unwell. There are insects everywhere," said the father of seven.

Beyond household garbage, Gaza's streets are also clogged with millions of tonnes of rubble from bombed-out homes, shops, and public infrastructure.

"The waste crisis is not just about trash. It's about the collapse of urban life," said Mahmoud al-Tarabin, a civil engineer volunteering with aid groups. "Every pile of debris tells a story of destruction and neglect."

Health officials are increasingly alarmed.

The World Health Organization and local medical authorities warn that waste buildup, overcrowded shelters, and limited access to clean water could trigger large-scale outbreaks of diarrheal disease, cholera, respiratory infections, and mosquito-borne illnesses such as dengue fever.

Environmental experts also warn of groundwater contamination, with some temporary dump sites located dangerously close to water wells.

In Khan Younis, Mayor Bassam Al-Bata said daily waste production jumped from 250 to 350 tonnes in the early months of the war.

"The system has been paralyzed," he said. "We're trying to cope with minimal resources, but we're overwhelmed."

Residents like Abu Jabal say they aren't asking for much -- just the basics.

"We don't want luxuries," he said. "We just want clean water, clean streets, and a little dignity." ■