The Gaza Municipality issued a dire warning on Friday, saying the city is on the brink of a complete collapse of its water and sanitation systems due to a crippling fuel shortage and the ongoing Israeli targeting of vital infrastructure.
“We are approaching a phase of mass thirst,” said Hosni Mehanna, spokesperson for Gaza’s municipality, in comments to Anadolu Agency. “A comprehensive health and environmental disaster is unfolding, threatening hundreds of thousands of lives.”
Mehanna described a worsening humanitarian emergency, with displaced families now forced to take shelter along Gaza City’s coastline—an area devoid of basic services, especially clean water.
“Water demand has surged with displaced populations crowded into limited areas, while many others receive no water at all due to the destruction of infrastructure,” he explained. “This puts us on the verge of a complete water system collapse.”
Mehanna appealed urgently to international and humanitarian organizations to intervene, demanding immediate action to halt the Israeli offensive, reopen border crossings, and allow fuel and equipment to enter Gaza.
“The absence of basic living conditions, the spread of famine, and the total failure of water and sanitation systems are pushing the city toward an unprecedented catastrophe,” he warned.
Since March 2, Gaza has been under a total blockade of humanitarian aid, including fuel and medical supplies. The situation has only worsened with Israel’s renewed large-scale military assaults that began in October 2023.
The ongoing bombardment has killed over 53,800 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel continues to reject global ceasefire calls and maintains its offensive.
In response to the widespread devastation, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Separately, Israel is also facing genocide proceedings at the International Court of Justice over its war on Gaza.
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