The risk of asbestos in the constipation of the gas

Israel’s destructive military campaign has released a silent killer: Asbestos.

The mineral, once widely used in building materials, releases toxic fibers into the air, when it is broken, which can cling to the lungs and – for decades – causes cancer.

Nowadays, its use is forbidden for most of the world, but it is still present in many old buildings.

In Gaza, he was found primarily in the roof of Asbesto, used in eight city refugee camps – which were created for Palestinians, who fled or expelled from their homes during the Arab -Israeli War of 1948-49 – reports the United Nations Protection Program (UNEP).

In October 2024, UNEP estimated that asbestos could be contaminated by 2.3 million tons of rubble through gas.

“Gaza -Drus is a very, very toxic environment,” says Professor Bill Kukson, director of the National Mesothelioma Research Center in London. “People will suffer acutely, but also in the long run that children can wear throughout their lives.”

“The lost life will not end now. The legacy will continue,” says Liz Darlison, CEO Mesotelioma UK.

If the asbestos is broken by something like an air blow, its fibers are too small to see the human eye – you can breathe those nearby, and then can get to the lung lining.

For many years – usually decades – they can cause scars, leading to a serious condition of the lungs known as asbestosis, or, in some cases, an aggressive form of cancer from the lungs nicknamed mesothelioma.

“Mesothelioma is a terrible, unsolvable illness,” says Professor Kukson.

“Really anxious,” he adds, “is that it is not due to the dose. Thus, even small asbestos fiber breathing can cause the following mesothelioma.

“It grows in the pleural cavity. It is very painful. It is always diagnosed late. And it is quite well resistant to all therapies.”

Usually, those who contract mesothelioma do so 20-60 years after exposure – that is, it will take decades before the possible effect on the territory is felt. It is assumed that a higher level, or longer exposure period, accelerates the progression of the disease.

D -R Ryan Hoy, whose dust inhalation studies have been given by UNEP, says it is extremely difficult to avoid the breathing of asbestos fibers because they “really tiny particles floating in the air that can get very deep into the lungs.”

According to him, they are even harder to avoid them, because the gas is so densely populated. About 2.1 million people are located on the territory and is 365 km (141 sq.m) – about a quarter of London.

Local experts say people cannot manage the risks caused by asbestos or inhalation of dust because of the more direct dangers of Israel’s military offensive.

“At this point in time (inhalation of dust) is not something that is perceived as an alarming thing of the population. They have nothing to eat, and they are more afraid to kill bombs,” says Chiar Lodi, a medical coordinator for NGO medical assistance for Palestinians.

“The lack of awareness of asbestos in conjunction with current problems (people in gas) who are trying to restore their lives means that they cannot take the necessary measures to protect themselves,” said Gaza spokesman for NGO SOS children’s villages.

Many “do not fully realize the harmful effects of dust and debris,” they added.

Following the previous conflict in Gaza in 2009, the UN poll revealed asbestos in garbage from old buildings, sheds, temporary extensions of buildings, roofs and walls.

There are several types of asbestos, ranging from the so -called “white asbestos”, which is the least dangerous, to the “blue” or the crocidolite most. High -carcinogenic asbestos crocidalite was previously found by the UN in Gaza.

About 68 countries have been banned from using asbestos, although some support exceptions for special use. It was banned in the UK in 1999, and Israel banned its use in buildings in 2011.

As well as mesothelioma, asbestos can cause other forms of lung cancer, larynx and ovarian cancer.

Further, less known risk, it is silicosis, lung disease, caused by silicon dust, usually for years. Concrete usually contains 20-60% silicon.

Dr. Hoy says that a large amount of dust in the gas can lead to “increasing the risk of respiratory tract infections, upper and lower respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, exacerbation, existing lung diseases, such as asthma, as well as” emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Over the years, the attacks on September 11 were used by the New York World Trade Center as a study experts as a study to study the consequences of a large toxic dust-like on civilian population.

“The tower -binders were not in the middle of the military zone,” says Ms Darlison, “so we were able to measure and quantify it.”

As of December 2023, 5249 of those who were registered in the US Health Center’s health center, died as a result of aerodynigestic disease or a river – a much higher figure than 2296 people who died in the attack itself. A total of 34113 people were diagnosed with cancer during the same period.

A Us and the group Arab states They offered competing plans to reconstruct Gaza. The UN warns that the process will need to be carefully managed to avoid a violation of a large number of contaminated asbestos shot constipation.

“Unfortunately,” says Ms Darlison, “the most properties that made us use so much are the properties that make it difficult.”

UNAPS -secretary’s press said the BBC that the removal process “will increase the likelihood of asbestos and ejection of dangerous fibers into the air.”

UNEP estimate has shown that the clearing of all debris could take 21 years and cost up to $ 1.2 billion (929 million pounds).

The Israeli military launched a gas in response to Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and saw 251 people.

Israel’s attack has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, the Ministry of Health reports.

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) did not respond to BBC’s request for comment.