GAZA, (PIC)
The Palestinian Water Authority (PWA) has warned of an imminent humanitarian catastrophe threatening more than 2.3 million citizens in the Gaza Strip as a result of the near-total collapse of water and sanitation services due to the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Strip.
The Water Authority said in a statement on Saturday that the infrastructure’s destruction, power cuts, and the ban on the entry of fuel and humanitarian supplies have led to a near-complete halt of water services.
PWA noted that 85% of water and sanitation facilities in the Strip have been severely damaged, and water extraction has decreased by 70-80%.
“Current water consumption has dropped to an alarming 3-5 liters per person per day, which is far below the World Health Organization’s emergency minimum of 15 liters,” it added.
PWA highlighted that “wastewater systems are non-functional, resulting in the discharge of untreated sewage into residential areas and stormwater basins now overflowing with contaminated water—posing grave public health threats.”
The discharge of untreated sewage in residential areas and the overflowing stormwater basins threaten the spread of diseases, as residents are forced to use salty water that is unfit for drinking, it pointed out.
It stressed that these Israeli policies constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Convention on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide, and the Rome Statute.
PWA called on the international community to take immediate action to stop the aggression, lift the siege, and provide protection for technical personnel, in addition to supporting the Palestinian government’s emergency response and recovery plans.
