JERUSALEM/ANKARA

The Israeli army approved an Emirati initiative to construct a new water pipeline from Egypt into the blockaded Gaza Strip, local media said on Sunday.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, citing a military statement, said the proposed pipeline will reach the coastal Al-Mawasi area, which stretches from central to southern Gaza, and is expected to serve approximately 600,000 residents of the region.

The army said the new pipeline will operate independently from existing water lines supplied from Israel.

According to KAN, Emirati representatives began delivering project equipment through the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza under strict security inspections.

Construction work on the pipeline is expected to start in the coming days and continue for several weeks.

There was no immediate comment from Egypt or the UAE on the Israeli claim.

Israel has destroyed almost all water infrastructure across the Gaza Strip amid its genocidal war on the enclave, exacerbating the already catastrophic humanitarian conditions for the more than 2.4 million Palestinians living under blockade.

Rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, the Israeli army has pursued a brutal offensive on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 59,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children. The relentless bombardment has destroyed the enclave and led to food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.