The National Gathering of Palestinian Tribes, Clans, and Families issued an urgent appeal to the international community, demanding immediate intervention to halt the “thirst disaster” threatening the lives of more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, amid the near-total collapse of water and sewage networks there. In a statement issued Thursday, the Gathering noted that Gaza residents are suffering from a near-total lack of potable water sources due to the systematic destruction of infrastructure and the cessation of the pumping of “Makorot” water. The Gathering also noted that major desalination plants in Gaza and Deir al-Balah have also shut down due to fuel shortages and power outages.
It added that most water wells in the Strip have been put out of service due to aerial bombardment and widespread destruction, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, particularly in the western part of Gaza, which is home to nearly two million displaced persons.
In its statement, the Gathering called on the United Nations, UNICEF, and all human rights organizations to take immediate action to provide water and urgent humanitarian aid, and to ensure the entry of fuel and equipment necessary to restart the stations and wells. The Gathering warned that continued international silence constitutes tacit complicity in the policy of starvation and thirst. and the mass cleansing to which the Palestinian people are subjected.
This statement held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for this humanitarian catastrophe, calling for it to be held accountable for its ongoing violations of international law and human rights.
