DaysofPal- The Association of Water Desalination Plant Owners in the Gaza Strip warned on Saturday of an imminent humanitarian catastrophe as several desalination facilities have ceased operations due to the depletion of fuel supplies required to keep them running.
In a statement addressed to official authorities and international organizations, the association said that a number of desalination plants had already shut down over the past two days after exhausting their fuel reserves. The closures, it warned, threaten the continued production of drinking water for hundreds of thousands of residents across the enclave.
According to the association, a representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) informed plant operators last Thursday that there were difficulties in securing the diesel quantities allocated for desalination facilities. The representative also indicated that the necessary fuel could not be distributed in a way that would guarantee uninterrupted operations throughout the current week.
The association stressed that even temporary disruptions to desalination plant operations have a direct impact on water security in Gaza, where a large segment of the population relies on desalinated water as its primary source of drinking water.
It called on all relevant authorities and international organizations to intervene urgently to secure the fuel needed to operate the facilities on a regular basis, warning that the water crisis could worsen and reach unprecedented levels if immediate action is not taken.
The statement also urged the rapid implementation of practical measures to prevent a complete halt in the production and distribution of desalinated drinking water throughout the Gaza Strip.
In addition to fuel shortages, the association noted that the water production and distribution sector is suffering from a severe lack of operational and maintenance supplies. These shortages include filters, desalination membranes, spare parts, industrial lubricants, and tires for vehicles used to transport and distribute water.
The warning comes as Gaza’s humanitarian crisis continues to deepen amid ongoing restrictions on the entry of fuel and maintenance materials, a situation that threatens essential services and further exacerbates the suffering of residents across the territory.
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