Jerusalem, 6 September, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Dead fish washed ashore, and bathers in Netanya and Tel Aviv reported feeling sick over the weekend, raising concerns that chemicals used to fight algae may have harmed people and marine life.
The Water Authority had ordered an unusual aerial spraying operation off Ashkelon, using chemicals including copper sulfate, to combat a massive algae bloom that forced most of Israel’s Desalination Plants to shut down.
Documents showed the Health Ministry was not informed before the spraying. It later issued an emergency fishing ban within 10 kilometers of the coast, from Ashkelon to Gaza, and ordered chemical and fish-tissue testing before declaring the water safe.
Officials warned that some algae produce harmful toxins and that copper sulfate can be toxic to fish.