Israel faces militia allegations and environmental fallout from Gaza war

Reports indicate that Israel is increasingly utilizing local militias, criminal gangs, and drug traffickers to conduct operations in the Gaza Strip. An investigation by Haaretz, supported by UN reports and satellite imagery, suggests that Israel has trained at least five militia groups to carry out tasks such as displacing Palestinians and looting property. One Israeli soldier described how the military and Shin Bet provide weapons, artillery, and drone support to these groups, who reportedly enter buildings, loot goods, and burn homes.

Simultaneously, the conflict is causing significant environmental damage that is impacting Israel. The destruction of Gaza's sanitation infrastructure has resulted in over 100,000 cubic meters of untreated raw sewage flowing into the Mediterranean Sea daily. Due to coastal currents, this waste is being carried toward Israeli shores, affecting desalination plants and causing toxic algae blooms. Additionally, Israel has begun moving approximately 60 million tons of debris from Gaza to undisclosed locations in Israel and the West Bank. This rubble potentially contains heavy metals, industrial chemicals, white phosphorus particles, and asbestos, posing risks to air quality and public health.