Oxfam and United Nations agencies have issued a stark warning, emphasizing that the breakdown of water and sanitation services in Gaza could trigger outbreaks of cholera and other life-threatening infectious diseases unless immediate humanitarian assistance is provided.
Israel has discontinued the supply of water to Gaza and has also suspended the provision of fuel and electricity to power water and sewage facilities. This action follows the announcement of a complete blockade of the Palestinian enclave in response to the Hamas attack.
“All five of Gaza’s wastewater treatment plants and most of its 65 sewage pumping stations have been forced to close. Untreated sewage is now being discharged into the sea and, in some areas, solid waste is accumulating in the streets,” said Oxfam.
The UN-Water and Sanitation cluster, of which Oxfam is a member, says that only three liters of water a day are now available per person in Gaza. The World Health Organisation recommends one person needs between 50-100 liters of water each day to meet basic health requirements.
Private vendors who run small water desalination or purification plants are now the biggest water suppliers. Oxfam staff say that the cost to buy water has increased five-fold.
Amitabh Behar, Oxfam International Interim Executive Director, said: “There is no power, no food and now no water in Gaza. It risks becoming a breeding ground for cholera and other diseases. The situation for civilians is already intolerable. Our staff are telling us that in some cases, there are up to 70 people crammed into a single room. Humanitarian aid must be allowed into Gaza now.”
