Dozens hospitalised in Tunisia’s Gabes amid environmental crisis

Gabes, Tunisia — October 14, 2025

A wave of hospitalizations has struck the southern Tunisian city of Gabes, where more than 120 residents—many of them children—have been admitted to local hospitals with respiratory distress and neurological symptoms. The cause, residents and local officials say, is toxic pollution from the nearby chemical industrial zone.

According to Tunisia’s state-run TAP news agency, children suffering from breathing difficulties were rushed to Gabes University Hospital on Tuesday. Some patients also reported leg pain, numbness, and temporary loss of mobility.
Local defense official Ghofrane Touati confirmed the surge in cases, while education authorities noted that dozens of students were among those affected. “My little sister was suffocating because of the fumes,” said resident Tawfik Dhaifallah. “That happens every two or three days”.

The crisis has reignited long-standing tensions between residents and the Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT), whose phosphate processing plant has been blamed for years of unchecked emissions. Over the weekend, protests erupted near the facility, prompting security forces to deploy tear gas to disperse demonstrators. Protesters blocked roads and demanded the plant’s closure.

The government, already grappling with economic instability, now faces mounting pressure to address the environmental and public health fallout in Gabes. Activists and residents are calling for urgent reforms, independent investigations, and a long-term plan to clean up the region’s air and water.