بلدية غزة تحذر من استمرار أزمة المياه وتطالب بتدخل عاجل

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Due to Widespread Infrastructure Destruction
Gaza Municipality Warns of Ongoing Water Crisis and Calls for Immediate Intervention

Gaza/Media Department:

The Gaza Municipality has warned of its inability to meet citizens' water needs and the worsening water crisis in the city due to the massive destruction of infrastructure caused by the Israeli genocidal war, which has continued for over 15 months. This crisis is exacerbated by a severe shortage of resources and equipment necessary for rehabilitating networks and operating water facilities.

In a written statement, the municipality explained that its teams discovered extensive infrastructure destruction after finally gaining access to new areas in the city that were previously inaccessible due to the Israeli military presence.

The municipality indicated that the damage to Gaza City's water sector is enormous, causing a significant deficit in water sources for residents, especially with the return of displaced people and the increased demand, which exceeds the available operational capacity.

The municipality confirmed that the crisis is gradually worsening and becoming more complicated due to the lack of machinery, equipment, and maintenance materials necessary to repair the damage caused by the Israeli war, in addition to the acute shortage of usable water sources.

It pointed out that it faces challenges in operating wells and reservoirs due to electricity supply cuts since the beginning of the devastating war on Gaza, the insufficient number of generators and the fuel needed to operate them, and the deliberate targeting of various energy sources by the Israeli occupation, including generators and solar panels.

The municipality also stressed its urgent need for sufficient electrical generators and solar panels to ensure the continuous operation of water facilities.

Despite these challenges, Gaza Municipality is making strenuous efforts with the limited resources available and continues to work around the clock to repair what can be fixed and ensure water reaches the population. However, the scale of destruction and the increasing needs far exceed the municipality's capacity to respond without immediate and extensive support.

Gaza Municipality called on the countries sponsoring the ceasefire agreement to intervene immediately to implement the terms of the deal regarding the entry of heavy machinery, equipment, and maintenance materials that would alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian population and ensure the provision of essential services before starting the comprehensive reconstruction process.

The municipality emphasized the need to engage the private sector and contractors to support urgent maintenance efforts, along with providing additional vehicles and equipment for water distribution, whether through the municipality's fleet or private sector operators.

The municipality urged all residents to conserve water and limit consumption to essential needs only, to help overcome the current crisis and preserve the remaining limited water resources.

The municipality appealed to all humanitarian, international, and local organizations for urgent intervention to save the humanitarian situation, warning of an impending catastrophe if the inability to provide water to Gaza residents persists.