Gaza Municipality: Severe thirst grips the city with 12% of water supplies pumped

Gaza Municipality spokesperson Asem al-Nabih warned of a “health and environmental disaster” sweeping Gaza City, amid a severe water shortage and a state of extreme thirst. Individuals are receiving less than 5 liters of water per day, covering all uses, including drinking, cooking, bathing, and hygiene. International standards require at least 100 liters per person per day.

Al-Nabih said in statements that the amount pumped to the city does not exceed 12% of its total daily water needs. He noted that most areas of Gaza are severely affected, with the eastern neighborhoods suffering in particular due to municipal crews’ inability to reach the Mekorot water valves and distribution lines, which represent the city’s primary water source.

Al-Nabih pointed out that more than 75% of the municipality’s central wells are out of service, in addition to the damage to more than 100,000 linear meters of water networks. He emphasized that the municipality’s ability to deal with the crisis is extremely limited, given the severe shortage of fuel, equipment, heavy machinery, and maintenance materials.

He explained that the desalination plant located northwest of the city, which supplied Gaza with more than 10% of its total water imports, has stopped operating since the start of the offensive and is now completely out of service due to the extensive damage it sustained, without the necessary capabilities to maintain or restart it.