The spokesperson for Gaza Municipality, Assem Al-Nabeeh, has warned of a looming “health and environmental disaster” engulfing Gaza City due to a critical shortage in water supplies. The city is currently experiencing extreme thirst, with individuals receiving less than 5 liters of water per day for all purposes—including drinking, cooking, bathing, and hygiene—far below the international standard of at least 100 liters per person per day.
اضافة اعلان
In a statement to Al-Mamlaka TV, Al-Nabeeh said that only 12% of Gaza’s daily water needs are being met, noting that most areas in the city are severely affected. He highlighted that eastern neighborhoods are suffering the most, as municipal teams are unable to access the control valves and distribution lines of the Mekorot water system, a main source of water for Gaza.
He further explained that over 75% of the municipality’s central wells are out of service, and more than 100,000 linear meters of water networks have been damaged. The municipality's capacity to respond to the crisis is extremely limited due to a severe lack of fuel, equipment, heavy machinery, and maintenance materials.
Al-Nabeeh added that the desalination plant in the northwestern part of Gaza, which previously supplied more than 10% of the city’s water, has completely ceased operations since the beginning of the aggression due to extensive damage, and no resources are available to repair or restart it.
He stressed that the inability to access the Mekorot distribution lines in the eastern zone is preventing engineers from assessing or repairing the network, and called for immediate access for municipal teams to carry out critical maintenance.
The water shortage has led to a surge in intestinal and skin diseases, particularly among children in shelter centers, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The municipality reiterated its urgent plea to allow the entry of sufficient fuel, maintenance materials, and equipment, and to enable technical teams to access vital facilities in order to mitigate the disaster and alleviate the suffering of the population.
