As summer kicks off in occupied Palestine Palestinians in Gaza flock to the seaside as their sole respite. The seaside of the blockaded and impoverished Gaza enclave is a precious resource for people looking to relax and escape their day-to-day stresses soaring temperatures and long hours of electricity cuts. And for the first time in years the beach offers visitors an opportunity for safe and clean recreation after local authorities announced in early June that the problem of wastewater pollution had been eliminated classifying “two-thirds of the beach as safe areas for swimming.”
The intensification of the Israeli siege on Gaza the aggravation of the energy crisis that began in mid-2006 and the lack of electricity needed to operate water treatment plants caused an increase in the sea water pollution rate reaching 100% in 2015 prompting authorities to completely close the beachfront to vacationers.
Maher Al-Najjar Deputy Director of the Projects Unit at the Coastal Municipalities Authority in Gaza points out that “60 tons of solid waste were lifted daily which were being pumped towards the sea” marking a significant turning point in the level of cleanliness of sea water and helping to reduce its pollution. Al-Najjar explains that the cost of sewage projects in the Gaza Strip has reached $300 million over the past 10 years.
Director of the Environmental Resources Department at the Water and Environmental Quality Authority in Gaza Muhammad Musleh says that the percentage of safe beaches today makes up about 65% of the total coastal beaches in the Strip. The increase in clean water is due according to Musleh to partially treating sewage water diverting it and re-filtering it to the aquifer and linking sewage pumps in areas adjacent to the coast to a 24-hour electricity network.
He added that the Water Authority in coordination with the Ministry of Health collected and analyzed 40 samples of seawater from the Gaza Strip. The results showed a significant improvement in the level of water quality.
The western coastal enclave of the Gaza Strip which is used to be crowded with beachgoers has for the past years been a major destination for untreated sewage depriving Gazans of picnics outdoor recreation and the natural enjoyment of the sights and atmosphere of the beach.
Ahmad Zourob a father of 5 says “We couldn’t give up coming to the sea even when it was 100% polluted. It’s our only outlet.” He added “Last year my sons got affected so I decided not to take them again this year but I am so happy that they solved the problem. Continuing he says “I imagine the most densely populated area –Gaza- without the sea would be a complete hell.”
The Israeli-imposed blockade on all service sectors in Gaza since mid-2007 is the primary cause of the seawater pollution crisis. The first wave of pollution came in the beginning of 2013 as a result of power outages lasting more than 20 hours a day resulting in water treatment plants only being able to function for 4-6 hours daily. The Israeli ban on shipping of spare and replacement parts for repair of these stations aggravated the situation. Any malfunction in the machines would cause some to stop working. In addition Israel prevented the entry of diesel fuel intended for the operation of the treatment plants. On top of this the Israeli occupation has launched more than three deadly aerial military campaigns on the Strip that caused significant direct damage to the sewage networks.
Looking at the sea mother of 3 Sabah Abu Ghanim describes how happy she is because she came back to the seashore once it become clean. Holding her surfboard and wearing a wetsuit she yelled “I haven’t surfed for several years due to the pollution!” Taking a deep breath of No bad smell the sea is blue” she continued. She added “As soon as I enter the sea or surf I feel free and happy… I replace all negative energy with positive energy.” She complains about how “the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza prevents the import of all equipment needed to ride the sea whether surfboards wax or swimming suits.”
The beachgoers are still hopeful that with the ongoing program to address coastal pollution more of the shoreline will soon become suitable for human use and will be 100% clean.
