Scorched Earth: The Anatomy of Ecocide in Gaza

Credit: Scientific American

Disclaimer:

This blog post explores environmental destruction as a lesser-discussed consequence of war, using the Israel-Palestine conflict as a backdrop. In highlighting the ecological impact, we do not intend to diminish or divert attention from the profound human suffering, loss of life, and identity struggles caused by the conflict. Rather, we seek to acknowledge that the environment is deeply intertwined with the lives of those who inhabit it.

We welcome feedback and thoughtful discussion on this perspective.

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The consequences of human conflict on the ecosystem of our planet ripple far beyond battlefields, dousing our planet’s land, water, and air in poison while accelerating biodiversity collapse. Modern conflicts leave scars on the environment of the affected place and persist for generations; as militaries consume vast fossil fuels, detonate toxic munitions, and destabilize ecosystems. The Gaza conflict is the most concurrent example of this devastation, where systematic infrastructure destruction has created compounding environmental crises that experts warn could render the territory uninhabitable for decades. 

The Environmental Calculus of Modern Warfare 

Military operations rank among humanity’s most ecologically destructive activities. Eco-terrorism is when war significantly impacts as well as targets natural resources. Our ecology has been progressively eroded by the disastrous impacts of numerous conflicts that have been documented throughout history. War does not merely damage the social environment of a place, leading to the loss of countless lives. The military’s harmful sovereignty also results in the emission of immense amounts of greenhouse gases, significantly accelerating human-induced climate change. This anthropogenic impact disrupts natural climate patterns, depletes essential resources, and contributes to long-term environmental degradation. Global militaries account for 5.5% of greenhouse gas emissions– surpassing civilian aviation and shipping combined. [1] The first 60 days of Gaza bombardment alone emitted CO₂ equivalent to burning 150,000 tons of coal. [2]

Pollution that is industrial in nature is greatly exacerbated during times of armed conflict. Unexploded ordnance, heavy metals, and industrial chemicals from destroyed infrastructure seep into groundwater. Oil and natural gas sources are attacked as a part of strategic warfare, deliberately executed to weaken the bones of a country’s economic and social survival. [3] The depletion of agricultural infrastructure, such as canals, wells, and pumps is an example of scorched earth practices during wartime, which are strategies deployed by the military where the forceful party destroys everything valuable to their opponent— including resources, infrastructure, and even the population of the territory in question— to weaken the other party’s resolve to fight back. [4] This can have a transboundary effect by contaminating rivers, aquifers or the ocean. The 37 million tons of rubble in Gaza primarily consist of asbestos, uranium traces, and human remains, leading to an uncontrollable spread of disease and furthering Israel’s agenda of making Gaza inhabitable.[5]  

From trench warfare’s landscape fragmentation in WWI to Gaza’s razed orchards, conflicts have been shown to erase critical habitats. Over 50% of Gaza’s tree cover and farmland were destroyed by March 2024. [6] From the harm caused to wildlife, native species and plants, armed conflicts and military operations also have a number of detrimental effects on nature and biodiversity, which can have a significant effect on ecosystems. Sometimes the harm is severe to the point that it has irreparable long-term effects on biodiversity and the environment. Since large sums of money and resources are required to operate and equip militaries, increased resource extraction to fund and sustain armed conflicts during wars can result in environmental degradation. The Israeli occupation in Gaza is a testament to how genocide and armed conflicts can have a direct impact on nature in a variety of ways, in addition to the overuse of natural resources.

Gaza: Anatomy of an Environmental Catastrophe 

Israel’s 2023-2024 military campaign transformed Gaza into a toxic wasteland through repetitive armed violence and destruction. The war’s environmental effects are just as significant, however not as well-recognised, as the direct human costs and political ramifications. In addition to aggravating current human misery, environmental degradation has turned into a weapon of war that destroys prospects for future livelihoods. The incessant Israeli bombing, reaching northwards of 80,000 tonnes, has decimated agricultural fields, natural forestry, and flora and fauna. [7] Now, with a ceasefire to end the violence, the victims of this war will return to a place that is not fit for healthy habitation—a different kind of war awaits them at the end of this violence, one that does not get the recognition it deserves.

Power outages drove all five of Gaza’s wastewater treatment plants offline in the first few weeks of Israel’s bombing. At least 130,000 cubic metres of wastewater have been released into the Mediterranean Sea every day as a result, causing sewage to overflow onto the streets. [8] In addition to endangering Gaza’s water supplies and marine life, this pollution runs the risk of causing environmental harm to nearby areas. The deliberate targeting of water, energy and waste systems triggered the local electricity grids, which collapsed and forced reliance on diesel generators, spewing particulate matter overcrowded shelters filled with people. This agricultural gutting, coupled with Israel’s blockade, left 90% of Gazans food-insecure by January 2025. [10]

The conflict has been extremely detrimental to the agricultural land all over the Gaza Strip as well. This loss is not just a blow to the future of food security in the country and the livelihood of the native Palestinians, but also for the broader ecosystem of the country. While agriculture can serve as a carbon sink, absorbing carbon dioxide emissions, the loss of green spaces reduces this ability and raises the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases overall. [11] The inhumane living conditions for the shelters and camps as air pollution rises not only leads to suffering for Palestinians but also pose immense challenges for the future of sustainability and the recovery of climate conditions in Gaza.

The Climate Warfare Dimension 

Armed conflicts have consequences that come at an exceedingly high cost for not only the environment, but the society as a whole. The process of rebuilding and restoring infrastructure after armed conflicts frequently diverts significant resources away from tackling the current climate issues and other environmental challenges. Therefore, the indirect environmental costs are enormous. [12] Gaza’s destruction exemplifies how Israel’s actions have affected not only human life but also the environment, contributing to an intensification of the climate crisis.

Conventional reconstruction could release 30 million metric tons of CO2, equal to New Zealand’s yearly emissions. [13] When ammunition is fired, an estimated 10% fails to function, remains unexploded and continues to remain a persistent threat to the population. Although it is impossible to determine the exact amount of unexploded ordnance in Gaza, debris removal including the rubble of destroyed buildings is projected to take 14 years. Sewage-induced marine dead zones threaten Mediterranean fisheries as far as Cyprus. Forensic Architecture argues Israel’s environmental damage meets the Rome Statute’s ecocide criteria, citing “widespread, long-term damage”, intentionally inflicted upon Gaza’s life-support systems. This paradigm, where ecological destruction becomes warfare, challenges the traditional concepts of conflict resolution and accountability. 

This conflict is a clear depiction of how environmental destruction is not a phenomenon that takes place as collateral damage in a vacuum, it is a strategic weapon inflicted upon conflict-affected places, which challenges traditional conflict resolution norms. The ruins of Gaza stand as a grim testament to war’s expanding environmental frontiers – where scorched earth tactics now encompass air, water, and soil. Until military planners account for ecological costs, and nations face consequences for environmental warfare, humanity risks winning battles while poisoning its future battlefields.

[This blog post has been authored by Sana Sharma, a second-year law student at Jindal Global Law School]