Garbage, sewage pile up in Gaza as conflict rages

Living conditions in the embattled enclave of Gaza continue to worsen as disposal of garbage and sewage has ground to a halt as the conflict rages on.

In central Gaza's Deir al-Balah, local authorities are unable to transport garbage and treat wastewater from a refugee camp here due to the lack of facilities, vehicles and fuels.

"Diseases like hepatitis are spreading among the people due to environmental pollution and the huge amount of garbage and wastewater. More than 100,000 people in the Gaza Strip have been infected with hepatitis A, and the incidence rate of skin diseases has also increased sharply among children," said Khalil Al-Daqran, a spokesman from Gaza's health ministry.

"I have been infected with hepatitis as the sanitary conditions are terrible here with a lack of attention from outside. We use a public toilet at the refugee camp. All families share only one toilet, and we have to wait in a long line. Usually there is no time for a thorough cleaning before you enter the toilet," said Moayad Al-Maghari, a displaced person.

Since this round of conflict broke out in October last year, an estimated 39 million tonnes of debris have been generated in the Gaza Strip, over 107 kilogram per square meter, according to a report released by the United Nations Environment Program in June.

The debris, mixed with dust and unexploded ammunition, has polluted the environment in Gaza, posing a serious threat to people’s health.

"The Israeli forces launched strikes at open areas and major streets where our underground water pipelines and sewage pipes are located. The attacks have mixed water supplies and sewage in the main pipelines. The toxic smoke from burning garbage and gas from exploded bombs launched by Israeli troops at the people have also caused air pollution. And there's also soil pollution. The piling-up of garbage and the metal penetration will change the soil structure, make the soil unsuitable for farming, and affect the growth of crops," said Ali Al-Habbash, a health and environment official in Gaza.

Garbage, sewage pile up in Gaza as conflict rages

The onshore Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened to below 7.10 against the U.S. dollar in August.

In August, the weighted average rate on new corporate loans registered around 3.6 percent, a decline of over 0.2 percentage points from an already relatively low benchmark in 2023.

This indicates that China has continued to lower the overall financing costs and is encouraging financial institutions to pass on profits to the real economy.

The RMB exchange rate has seen an appreciation. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, has retreated from its peak since August, decreasing from above 104 to below 101, marking a new low in over a year with a decline of about 3 percent.

The onshore RMB exchange rate against the U.S. dollar has strengthened from a high point of 7.27 yuan in mid-July to below 7.10 yuan, a cumulative appreciation of 2 percent.

Cross-border funds continued to flow into the Chinese domestic market, maintaining a net increase trend. In August, overseas investors increased their net holdings of domestic bonds by approximately 17 billion U.S. dollars, marking the 12th consecutive month of net inflows.

Onshore Chinese yuan strengthens against USD in Aug