Israeli occupation holding up vital parts for Gaza water infrastructure
3 Min Read
In a bid to further harm the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation is blocking the entry of material vital for the repairing and maintenance of Gaza's wastewater systems.
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Palestinians inspect destroyed buildings following Israeli bombardment in Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, May 14, 2021 (AP)
The Israeli occupation is blocking the entry of vital parts required to get the Gaza Strip's water and sewage systems back on their feet after the strip's infrastructure was heavily destroyed during the May 2021 Israeli war on Gaza.
The Israeli oppressive actions have resulted in partially treated wastewater being released into the sea and the waste of water due to pipe leakage, not to mention the increased risk of floods due to the rainwater runoff.
"Israel's" measures are also affecting the quality and quantify of potable water purified in special facilities.
The people of Gaza are trying to overcome the Israeli blockade by using makeshift material, but their attempts are in vain, for the same problems keep occurring.
The Gaza Water Utility says the Israeli occupation's delays in granting approval for the entry of the materials have been inexplicably prolonged, as they have been awaiting approval since the war ended in May. Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation claims there are no delays.
Palestinian officials have disputed the Israeli occupation's claims, as an official in Water Utility highlighted that before the May war, materials would only wait for 7-30 days before obtaining approval, while they require some 2-5 months now.
Gaza's water infrastructure is struggling, with nearly 500 water and sewage facilities suffering from valve, filter, pump, pipe, and more equipment shortages.
One of the repercussions of the Israeli unilateral blockade has been repeated flooding in Khan Yunis due to obsolete equipment in the city's wastewater pumping station.
The Israeli occupation has been exacerbating the wastewater situation in Gaza by not only delaying the entry of replacement equipment but also prohibiting the entry of steel pipes with a diameter larger than 1.5 inches, knowing that the desalination and wastewater treatment plants require pipes with a diameter between two and 10 inches; therefore workers cannot repair existing pipelines damaged during the May aggression on Gaza.
All in all, the Gaza Strip is under a strict blockade from the Israeli occupation, is subjected to frequent aggressions and incursions, and suffers from strict measures imposed upon it for alleged Israeli "security," such as the pipe prohibition and delays in entry of goods for searching - all of which are a pretext for the Israeli occupation to tighten its chokehold on the strip.
