Between October 2023 and December 2024, the destruction of Palestinian buildings generated at least 30 million tons of concrete debris, according to a study published in the journal Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability.
Researchers estimate that over two million trips with garbage trucks to and from waste disposal sites will be needed – just to get rid of the destroyed concrete. This corresponds to 66,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions – or driving 736.5 times around the earth.
50 million tons of debris
Almost 90 percent of Gaza's infrastructure is estimated to have been destroyed or damaged since the war broke out. And according to data from the UN's satellite analysis agency Unosat from December last year, there are over 50 million tons of debris from destroyed buildings, roads, and other infrastructure on the Gaza Strip.
To even get rid of the concrete remains, both manpower and machines are needed, and the emissions are affected by what type of machines are available. Some of the debris is assumed to be contaminated and cannot therefore be crushed in a regular machine, a so-called jaw crusher.
Researchers have assumed a scenario where 80 percent of the waste is not contaminated and can therefore be destroyed in a regular jaw crusher. 50 jaw crushers of the capacity that usually occurs on the Gaza Strip would need 37 years to destroy all the concrete.
"Microfocus"
One of the two researchers behind the study, Samer Abdelnour, tells The Guardian that the "microfocus" they have on the destroyed concrete can show how much work is required to even begin the process of rebuilding the strip after the war is over.
The study is the most detailed of its kind so far, where researchers have delved into emissions, logistics, and costs to clear all debris in connection with the war.
In addition to the destroyed concrete, there are also toxins such as asbestos, unexploded ammunition, and thousands of remains of still unidentified people to consider.
Facts: Gaza war
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More than 59,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been killed since the start of the war, which followed the terrorist-stamped Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The figures come from health authorities in Hamas-controlled Gaza.
A large proportion of the dead are women and children. Last year, Unicef estimated that one million children in the area are in need of psychological and psychosocial support.
Before the war, Gaza's population consisted of 2.1 million people. Around 90 percent of them have been displaced within the area's borders, according to the UN.
Israel's intense bombardment has led to the destruction of a large part of the area's hospitals and schools, either completely or partially. The spring's Israeli blockade has also led to famine in Gaza.
During Hamas' large-scale attack on October 7, 2023, over 1,100 people were killed in Israel, the majority of them unarmed civilians. In addition, nearly 250 people, including children, were taken hostage.
Sources: Ocha, Unicef, and news agencies.
