Israel bans entry of cleaning materials into Gaza

By Hadeel Abu Nassar

In the midst of Israel’s ongoing closure of all crossings of the Gaza Strip, Israel has barred the entry of all types of hygiene and cleaning products into Gaza for over two months, exacerbating a pollution crisis.

Gaza markets have run out of essential items needed for Palestinians to address the severe environmental pollution crisis, such as shampoo, soaps, disinfectants, and laundry detergents. The availability of cleaning products has decreased by up to 90%.

Locally manufactured cleaning products have experienced significant growth in recent months in Gaza amid the severe shortage of imported cleaners. However, ÷Israel has prevented the raw materials from entering the besieged Strip.

This ban has exacerbated the living conditions of nearly two million Palestinians, who are already struggling with severe shortages of essential supplies due to the ongoing Israeli war.

The prohibition came as Israel intentionally targeted and destroyed sanitation infrastructure in Gaza, creating an environment unfit for life and worsening health conditions in the enclave.

Dozens of thousands of displaced Palestinians are forced to live in displacement camps that are surrounded by piles of waste and sewage.

As a result, infectious skin diseases and hepatitis A have alarmingly spread among displaced people, as Palestinians are unable to maintain basic hygiene standards.

Israel’s blockade on cleaning materials is violating international humanitarian law, which mandates the protection of civilians and the provision of essential supplies during wars.

As Israel’s deadly onslaught on Gaza continues, health conditions are alarmingly deteriorating due to crowded shelters in the scorching heat, food shortages, water and fuel shortages, and minimal access to medical supplies.

Skin Diseases

Five-year-old Mohammed Dardas suffers from a skin disease caused by using groundwater from a well for bathing without any treatment, due to the lack of cleaning supplies.

His mother, Noor Dardas, says, “We suffer from a lack of cleaning supplies such as shampoo and body soap, and I have to use salty water to clean Mohammed’s body during baths.”

Showing signs of exhaustion on her face, she adds, “My child’s body cannot tolerate this salty water, and the lack of cleaning supplies has caused blisters on his body and swelling on his face.”

Noor complains about the severe environmental pollution in the area where she lives with thousands of displaced people as a result of piled-up waste and sewage, which has led to the spread of many skin diseases, especially with the absence of essential cleaning products.

Allergies and Blisters

Young Palestinian woman Sabah Abdel Karim also complains about the lack of cleaning products in the markets of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, particularly hair shampoo and hand soap.

Abdel Karim, who is displaced from Gaza City, says, “Locally manufactured products are not of high quality, but they used to serve us. However, they are no longer available due to the closure of crossings and the prohibition of the entry of the necessary raw materials for manufacturing.”

She adds, “Our bodies and the children’s bodies have developed severe allergies, and blisters have appeared extensively. We are suffering from a lack of personal hygiene as water alone is not sufficient for body cleaning.”

She calls on international and UN bodies to intervene and include cleaning products in the humanitarian aid provided to the residents of Gaza urgently, in light of the widespread outbreak of diseases and epidemics caused by health and environmental crises.

Hassan Younis, an owner of a cleaning materials store in central Gaza, says that the situation for cleaning products has become extremely difficult due to the unavailability of essential manufacturing materials.

Younis adds, “Citizens come to my store with skin diseases, asking us to provide cleaning supplies to help relieve these diseases, but unfortunately, we can’t help by providing them.”

Since the Israeli army took control of the Rafah crossing on May 7, the entry of aid and goods into the enclave has been halted.