Gaza government urges immediate action to address severe water scarcity

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Gaza government media office on Friday called for immediate intervention to address the critical water scarcity crisis gripping the city amid mounting health and environmental challenges exacerbated by soaring temperatures.

In a statement, the office explained that "Gaza City is grappling with an acute shortage of water resources, confronting a fresh environmental disaster that poses a dire threat to its populace".

"The complete cessation of all water wells over the past fortnight, attributed to the depletion of meager fuel reserves allocated to the Gaza municipality in previous periods, has exacerbated the situation," the statement added.

Highlighting the severity of the crisis, particularly in light of escalating temperatures and surging demand for water, the statement underscored the imperative for swift action by relevant parties.

The statement urged prompt measures to secure fuel and restore water supply to citizens, thereby mitigating the escalating health and environmental perils stemming from the water scarcity.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas, in which nearly 1,200 people were killed.

More than 34,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 76,800 others have been injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Istanbul