Israel's attacks on the Gaza Strip, causing heavy damage to the infrastructure and restricting the entry of humanitarian aid materials, increase the risk of health and environmental disasters in the region, along with the rains that start with the winter season.
Sheikh Ridvan Pond, which was built to collect rainwater in the northwest of Gaza city, turned into an area that threatens public health with the accumulation of wastewater leaking from the damaged sewage network.
The rise in the water level in the pond, along with the first low pressure system of the season that affected Gaza, brought flood concerns back to the agenda. It is feared that if the pond, where rainwater mixes with sewage waste, overflows, the surrounding residential areas will be flooded with dirty water and the risk of epidemic diseases will increase.
Sheikh Ridvan Pond, one of the four main rainwater collection ponds in Gaza city, has a water capacity of approximately 500 thousand cubic meters. The pond serves an area of approximately 20 square kilometers in Gaza city, as well as part of the Cibaliya district in the north of the Gaza Strip.
In its statement on October 19, 2025, Gaza Municipality announced that the pond was severely damaged in the land attacks of the Israeli army in the Sheikh Ridvan region.
According to the municipality, the destruction of the sewage system in different parts of the city led to wastewater leaking into the pond. Damage to the lines and pump stations carrying waste water to the treatment facility in Şeyh Aclin District also aggravated the problem.
While the water level rises due to damage to the discharge line and discharge pumps that carry the water in the pond to the sea, the depletion of fuel and engine oil required to run the generators also causes the pumps to be disabled from time to time.
The municipality states that the sewage water accumulating in the pond causes a strong odor and the spread of harmful pests in the environment, and poses a danger of contamination of underground water resources.
Announcing that the sewage water level in the pond had risen to approximately 3 meters in May, the municipality had warned that the wastewater was threatening the surrounding streets and residential areas due to the failure of the pump systems.
Gaza Water Administration, in its statement in September, stated that it was carrying out emergency response works in the pond in coordination with coastal municipalities, water administration and international partners. However, it was noted that the discharge capacity decreased to approximately 30 percent of its previous level due to damage to the station's pumps, electrical equipment and the line carrying water out of the pond.
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Special Representative Jonathan Fitch, in his press release near the pond, stated that this place turned into an "extremely toxic" area as a result of rainwater mixing with sewage waste.
Fitch stated that the pond has become one of the main points where flood waters collect in Gaza city, and that some of the water accumulated here can be pumped into the sea, but the capacity remains limited due to the damage to the drainage system.
UNICEF Special Representative Fitch stated that the institution attempted to repair the sewage system and the drainage station in Gaza in Gaza last year, but to no avail.
"We have the necessary vehicles, equipment and engineers, but they were not allowed to enter Gaza," Fitch said. he said.
UN organizations also state that Israel prevents or restricts the entry of equipment, machinery, humanitarian aid and medical supplies to Gaza, and points out that this further worsens the already harsh living conditions of the displaced Palestinians.
Fitch said, "If the pond where rainwater mixes with sewage water overflows, a serious public health crisis may occur. Although we are ready to bring the necessary equipment and engineers for repairs to Gaza, they are not allowed to enter the region." he warned.
Palestinians living in damaged houses around the pond monitor the water level with concern every time it rains.
Speaking to AA correspondent, 42-year-old Palestinian Meryem al-Hatib said that they are afraid of the water level in the pond rising and the wastewater overflowing when it rains.
Explaining that the residents of the region constantly check the water level in the pond, Hatib stated that the accumulations mixed with sewage water pose serious health risks.
Hatib stated that the region has turned into an "unhealthy area" due to the accumulation of wastewater.
In its statement in August, the Government Media Office in Gaza reported that more than 2 million 150 thousand displaced Palestinians were struggling to survive in harsh conditions, approximately 867 thousand of them were living in worn-out tents and more than 1 million were staying in shelter centers.
In the report published by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in mid-October 2026, it was stated that approximately 950 thousand Palestinians lived in displacement areas with medium or high flood risk, and more than 400 thousand of them were in high-risk areas.
According to the report, approximately 294 thousand families need shelter assistance for the winter season, while existing materials can only provide partial support to approximately 52 thousand families. This amount corresponds to approximately 18 percent of families in need.
