The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) on today’s Earth Day highlighted the unprecedented environmental catastrophe unfolding in Gaza due to the US-backed Israeli genocide of Palestinians and the ecocide of Palestinian territories.
As the global community commemorates Earth Day on April 22, CAIR-NJ is bringing urgent attention to the ongoing Israeli military assault on Palestine that has not only resulted in ethnic cleansing of Palestinians but systematically destroyed the territory’s ecosystems, agricultural systems, and natural resources in what amounts to ecological warfare.
READ MORE: How Israel destroyed Gaza’s ability to feed itself
A staggering 85% of Gaza’s water and sanitation infrastructure has been destroyed, leaving most residents with just 3 to 5 liters (that’s about 3 to 5 quarts) of contaminated water daily, which is far below the World Health Organization’s minimum of 15 liters of water per person per day during emergencies. This has created conditions ripe for waterborne disease outbreaks that could claim more lives than the violence itself.
Recent satellite analysis by the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) shows catastrophic damage to Gaza’s agricultural capacity. According to the center’s February 2025 report, approximately 70% of Gaza’s crop and farm land shows visible signs of severe damage or destruction from military operations. This comes as UN agencies report 90% of Gaza’s population experiences acute food insecurity.
In a statement, CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Aya Elamroussi said:
“The systematic destruction of Palestinian farmland and water infrastructure not only creates immediate starvation risks but permanently undermines the territory’s ability to sustain itself, eroding food and water sovereignty for generations of Palestinians.
“We know the Israeli military’s efforts, condoned and sponsored shamelessly by the U.S., are targeted, intentional, and calculated.
“On this Earth Day, we must remember and amplify the environmental injustice our American tax dollars have been funding across Palestine.”
CAIR-NJ reiterated its calls on the U.S. government to stop sending military aid to Israeli and urges news media outlets to include Palestine in their Earth Day coverage as the territory continues to be bombarded with US-funded weaponry. In a Tuesday statement posted on X, Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, said:
“Hunger is spreading & deepening, deliberate & manmade. Gaza has become a land of desperation. Two million people: a majority of women & children are undergoing collective punishment.”
Additional facts and figures:
- More than 75% of Gaza’s iconic olive trees, living symbols of Palestinian cultural heritage and economic resilience, have been destroyed, according to a report by A-Haq, a non-governmental organization based in the occupied West Bank. Many of the ancient trees, some centuries old, represent not just agricultural assets but the deep connection between the Palestinian people and their land.
- A June 2024 United Nations report revealed an even more insidious threat: The estimated 25,000 tons of explosives used in Gaza have contaminated soil and groundwater with heavy metals including lead, mercury, and other toxic substances. Environmental experts warn this pollution will cause generational health impacts, with children particularly vulnerable to developmental disorders and other serious conditions.
- Gaza’s biodiversity has suffered equally devastating blows. The Yale School of the Environment reports that the territory’s only nature reserve, a crucial habitat for migratory birds and endangered species, has been completely destroyed. This destruction reflects a pattern of environmental disregard that extends beyond human targets to the region’s entire ecosystem.
BACKGROUNDER:
Earth Day, which began in 1970, sparked major environmental changes the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
READ MORE: Earth Day Then And Now: How A Single Day Sparked Decades Of Change
Now a global movement, it drives climate action, though challenges like pollution and emissions remain. Progress has been made, but more work is needed.
Islamic teachings mandate environmental stewardship, prohibiting waste and demanding resource conservation. Gaza’s ecological destruction thus constitutes not only a humanitarian catastrophe but a profound violation of these sacred obligations.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-NJ Communications Manager Aya Elamroussi, 551-208-5482, aelamroussi@cair.com