Gaza (UNA/WAFA) - Thirst has swept through the Gaza Strip once again, and people are starving and thirsty. The thirst season has been preceded by the scorching summer heat that awaits them in the remains of their tents, torn apart by erosion during the past two seasons, and the soon-to-be-departed winter. Thirst and the scorching sun remain companions against citizens and displaced people in all parts of the afflicted Strip.
The suffering of the citizens of the Gaza Strip from thirst has increased since October 2023, XNUMX, the beginning of the Israeli war of extermination and displacement, which they face with their naked bodies, and with the hunger and thirst of their intestines, which have atrophied and whose features are evident in their emaciated bodies, which have been afflicted with weakness and weight loss due to not receiving enough food and depriving them of all types of meat, poultry, eggs, milk and its derivatives. This comes after Israel, the occupying power, deliberately closed the crossings and imposed a policy of starvation and thirst against them. It is the one that closed the water lines that they depend on for drinking and for the necessities of their daily lives, and deprived them of electricity and fuel to operate the remaining wells to quench their thirst.
“We have been suffering greatly in obtaining water since we were displaced and the war intensified against us,” says citizen Khaled Zidane. “But with the closure of the crossings and the Mekorot water pipelines, which are controlled by Israel, our suffering has increased. The Water Authority is no longer able to operate the remaining water wells because there is no diesel or electricity to operate them. Our suffering also increased when the water valves that come to Gaza via Israel were closed, and we began to feel thirsty and dehydrated.”
He added: “Signs of water scarcity have begun to appear on our bodies, in our tents, and in what remains of our homes. This has forced us to deny ourselves even the most basic human rights, such as cleanliness and bathing. We only bathe once a week, and those who manage to get a shower are lucky, given the severe water shortage.”
Citizen Majed Al-Ayyoubi says: “We have become afraid for ourselves and our children from skin diseases, infectious diseases, and kidney diseases, because we are unable to obtain a full share of water, whether for drinking, which is often unsuitable due to the high salt content and the lack of proper and adequate filtering. This is in addition to the lack of energy sources, whether electrical or alternative, for water filtration, and because we cannot obtain regular water for daily use except with great difficulty.”
He continued: “Before the crossings were closed at the beginning of last Ramadan, we used to get running water through hoses, even though it only came two days a week for an hour and a half to two hours. We would fill up whatever tanks and containers we had, and that was more or less enough for us, given our austerity and displacement.”
Abu Ibrahim, a citizen, says: “I have five daughters who need a large amount of water for daily personal hygiene. I am often forced to buy water sold in carts pulled by animals. The price of one cup is 100 shekels, and obtaining it is extremely difficult, because the carts are not always available and because of the increased demand during the drought we are experiencing and the lack of water pumping. What increases the suffering is transporting the entire cup by filling it into gallons, carrying them, and pouring them into other tanks, because there are no water pumps due to the continuous power and fuel cuts since the beginning of the war.”
“Our suffering is not limited to daily water use, but also extends to the drinking water we drink, which is contaminated and we buy at high prices. When you get a 20-liter gallon, you pay 4 shekels (more than a US dollar), and this is extremely expensive in light of the lack of livelihood sources, the lack of liquidity, and the high price of cash, which has reached nearly 40%. Each of us needs two gallons or more per day, and you can imagine how expensive and exhausting that is,” he added, “And all of these actions are limited to providing water, so how can it be to provide all of the daily requirements of living?”
Citizens' suffering is exacerbated by the fact that most of the groundwater in the Gaza Strip is contaminated with sewage, especially after the spread of displacement camps throughout the area and the digging of septic tanks by displaced people. This has led to waste mixing with the groundwater, which is then extracted for use without sterilization or filtration.
The life of fellow journalist Ali Qasim al-Farra, whose home was demolished in the town of al-Qarara, north of Khan Yunis, was no better than that of other citizens and displaced persons. Despite being displaced to the city center of Khan Yunis, he endures a complex ordeal due to the large number of displaced people there. When he does get water, he has to reserve his place three or four days in advance, and when he does fill up, he pays 100 shekels or more for a cup of water that is barely enough for a few days.
Al-Farra points out that despite his low income and the high commission rate for cash, he finds it extremely difficult and stressful to obtain water between fill-ups. He is forced to buy water from tankers and transport it over 100 meters.
He says: “After obtaining it with great difficulty, we light wood fires to cook whatever food is available, if it is available at all, in light of the famine that is striking the Strip. In addition, we are unable to protect our children and relieve them from the sounds of bombing and explosions that are heard around the clock from every direction. We live in fear, war, famine, and thirst, and no one is doing anything to help us.”
Local statistics indicate that the occupation destroyed more than 330,000 linear meters of water networks, more than 655,000 linear meters of sewage networks, in addition to 2,850,000 linear meters of road and street networks, as well as 719 water wells that were destroyed by the occupation and taken out of service.
The Gaza Strip is suffering from dire humanitarian conditions due to the occupation's closure of crossings and the prevention of aid from entering. There is also a severe shortage of food, water, medicine, and fuel, and the water in the Strip is undrinkable. The food shortage threatens a serious disaster, especially for children and women.
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