Israeli occupation authorities have recognised that Gaza water is “undrinkable” and reportedly called for “urgent” international community action.
The Israeli army radio said that the Coordinator of the Israeli Government Activities in the Palestinian Territories contacted international aid organisations to help alleviating the crisis.
In a letter sent last week to representatives of the international community in Israel, the Israeli Coordinator warned that Gaza’s aquifer has been destroyed by years of excessive pumping.
According to the Israeli radio, the letter estimated 96 per cent of water in the Gaza Strip is now unfit to drink. It is the second such warning had been issued in the past six months, the radio said.
In January, a UNICEF team finished construction of a desalination plant in Khan Younis with a production capacity of 6,000 cubic meters of water per day — enough for 75,000 people.
However, the sole electricity plant in Gaza has been unable to supply the needed electricity to run the desalination plant due to the severe electricity shortage caused by the strict Israeli siege has been in place for more than 10 years.
Two other desalination plants are in their planning stages, but only part of the needed funds has been raised by the international community.
Until those plants are completed, the Israeli occupation authorities have to double the supply of water to Gaza, from 10 million cubic meters per year to 20 million.
The Israeli radio reported a senior Israeli official saying that the Palestinian Authority, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, does not want Israel to do so.
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=3064
