Gaza municipalities warn of humanitarian, health catastrophe as basic services near collapse

The Union of Gaza Strip Municipalities warned on Thursday of a looming humanitarian, health and environmental catastrophe as basic municipal services in Gaza near collapse.

Water, sewage and waste-management services are deteriorating due to restrictions imposed by Israel on the entry of industrial oils, diesel, spare parts, tires, pumps and other equipment needed to operate and maintain vital facilities, the union said in a statement.

It said shortages of industrial oils pose the most serious threat, as generators, water wells, sewage stations and municipal machinery depend on them directly, adding that their depletion could halt operations even if limited diesel supplies are available.

Municipalities and water authorities operate dozens of wells and stations to provide more than 140,000 cubic meters of water daily for domestic use and drinking.

They also pump around 60,000 cubic meters of sewage into the sea each day to prevent overflow into residential areas.

More than 3,000 cubic meters of waste are collected daily across Gaza, but continued shortages of fuel and spare parts could bring collection and transport operations to a halt, the union said.

It said such a halt would lead to waste accumulation in residential areas and shelters, increasing the risk of disease, epidemics, insects and rodents.

A potential collapse of the municipal services system would endanger public health and worsen conditions for more than 2 million people in the Gaza Strip, the union warned.

It held the Israeli occupiers fully responsible for the situation and its humanitarian and environmental consequences.

“Time is running out,” the statement said, warning that further delays in supplying operational materials could trigger a widespread humanitarian and environmental crisis.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 73,000 Palestinians and injured more than 173,000, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian figures.

It added that despite Hamas’ compliance with the first phase of a ceasefire agreement, Israel has not met its commitments, while talks on the second phase remain stalled.

The statement also said Israel has prevented the entry of agreed quantities of food, medicine, medical supplies, shelter materials and prefabricated housing into Gaza, where around 2.4 million people, including 1.5 million displaced residents, are living in catastrophic conditions.