PWA: Israeli New Crime of Targeting Water and Wastewater Infrastructure in Gaza

The Water Authority holds the Israeli government fully responsible for the brutal aggression on Gaza strip, resulting to date in more than 200 martyrs and more than 1,300 wounded, and causing massive destruction to the infrastructure. The intensified attack on Gaza should be classified as a serious war crime.

The reported demolition of water and wastewater infrastructure and relevant power supply in Gaza has led to:

•  Water shortage to Gaza residents by 40%, due to targeting water facilities directly or indirectly.

• Suspension of the North Gaza Treatment Plant operations, as a result of targeting the main sewage line. This situation has led to the diversion of wastewater into random ponds near old Beit Lahia plant, threatening to drown more than 10 thousand citizens in eastern Beit Lahiya and south Umm Al-Nasr.

• Destruction of the main sewage line in Khan Yunis, leading to diverting wastewater into the sea, and significantly polluting its water.

• The treatment plants which are currently operating remotely in Khan Yunis and East Al-Bureij will also be suspended completely during the coming few days due to the huge damages in main sewage line and pumping stations, lack of accessibility and cut-off of power supply.

• The desalination plants shut off due to the Israeli current air strikes and the power cut-off.

The operations and maintenance technical teams face obstacles to reach water and wastewater facilities to carry out the necessary maintenance work, and the Red Cross is unable to assist in transporting the maintenance team due to the Israeli refusal to coordinate for the maintenance staff movement.

The Israeli aggression is destroying achievements made by the Palestinian government and its international partners in the last few years to save Gaza from the catastrophic water and wastewater situation, and to improve water and wastewater service provision as a basic humanitarian right.

The destruction of infrastructure will exacerbate the difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza, especially in terms of providing water to citizens, and will have long-term repercussions on health, economic and social aspects. This will require huge efforts and investments to reconstruct it.

The Palestinian Water Authority calls the international community to intervene and take actions to stop the Israeli aggression against our people in Gaza, and to stop targeting and destroying vital infrastructure, and support an immediate intervention to operate and maintain all those essential facilities for livelihood.