‘Death sentence’: Asbestos released by Israel’s bombs will kill for decades

Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza has unleashed yet another deadly, but silent enemy on the people there – asbestos.

A mineral that poses little risk to humans when undisturbed but that is highly carcinogenic when dispersed and released into the atmosphere, asbestos is present throughout much of Gaza’s structures.Over the past year, Israel’s bombs have caused vast amounts of it to be broken into tiny, airborne particles, which can potentially cause cancer in those who breathe it in, leading experts to say cases of cancer will likely be reported “for decades” in Gaza.According to United Nations estimates, some 800,000 tonnes of the bombed-out debris across Gaza may be contaminated with asbestos.

‘A tragedy that will unfold in the years ahead’

The asbestos exposure of people caught in the aftermath of each of Israel’s bombing raids can be compared to that around the World Trade Center when it collapsed in New York City on September 11, 2001, Willey said.

Years later, it became apparent that toxic chemicals, including asbestos, were in the dust clouds.

“I made a prediction then [in 2001] that more people would die from the asbestos-related diseases than were killed in the September 11 attacks,” Willey said.

The Dust Lady died of stomach cancer in 2015.

“The rescue crews on September 11 … were exposed to asbestos particles for 10 to 12 hours before continuing the next day,” Willey said.

“That’s a death sentence… that’s going to be the same for the people in Gaza.”

The comparison to September 11 is important as that was one of the only incidents in which it was possible to study asbestos exposure after an explosion, said Liz Darlison, CEO of the charity Mesothelioma UK.

“It’s very easy to be preoccupied with the immediate aftermath” of the destruction, she said.

Immediate dangers posed by ground fighting and aerial bombardments always take precedence over long-term hazards, she noted.