The Gaza Municipality stated that the city has been facing an unprecedented water crisis for approximately two weeks, following the disruption of the Israeli Mekorot water pipeline and the destruction of most water sources. This has deprived more than 85 percent of residents of water and created a deficit exceeding 75 percent.
Gaza Municipality spokesperson Hosni Muhanna told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that “the water crisis in the city has entered its 12th day due to the disruption of the Mekorot pipeline as a result of Israeli military operations in what is known as the ‘yellow line’ east of the city.”
He explained that this crisis has left more than 85 percent of Gaza City almost completely without water and has paralyzed the water system.
The “yellow line,” established under the ceasefire agreement of last October, separates the areas where the Israeli army is deployed, comprising more than 50 percent of the Gaza Strip in the east, from the areas in the west where Palestinians are permitted to move.
Since then, the army has been carrying out widespread destruction of neighborhoods and infrastructure in the areas it occupies in the Gaza Strip.
Muhanna stated that the Gaza Municipality relied on the Mekorot water pipeline as its primary water source during the war, after Israel destroyed 72 wells, rendered the city’s only desalination plant, the Sudanese plant, inoperable, and shut down the central northern wells in the Bir al-Na’ja area, as well as the Safa wells, which had been repaired at the beginning of the war only to be destroyed again.
He added that Gaza City’s daily water needs are approximately 100,000 cubic meters, while only 12,000 cubic meters are actually available at best, resulting in a water deficit exceeding 75 percent.
Muhanna pointed out that this deficit has directly impacted the lives of residents and displaced persons, “as the per capita share in many areas does not exceed 5 liters per day, an amount far below the minimum human requirement for survival.”
