Queues for a little water in Gaza
Weather of Arabia - Residents of the Gaza Strip live in difficult conditions, as waiting occupies most of their days. Gazans find themselves waiting in long lines for long hours, as they must reserve daily shifts to ensure access to basic services. As the water shortage crisis worsens, waiting lines to obtain safe water have become Drinking is an integral part of the lives of Gazans.
In the Jabalia camp area in the northern Gaza Strip, some people reserve their turn before sunset, while others make a great effort to ensure that water is provided. Some elderly and sick people who cannot stand in queues even rely on their children or relatives to reserve a turn for them.
Contaminated water supplies and salty groundwater have exacerbated the state of diseases among people, with international warnings of the risk of children dying due to water scarcity. Recently, the Israeli army has further exacerbated the water crisis by targeting the main reservoirs in the northern and southern regions of the Gaza Strip, and targeting desalination plants. While preventing the entry of fuel necessary to operate these stations.
According to United Nations statements, only approximately 5% of Gaza's water needs are currently being met, which reflects the scale of the challenges facing the population in light of this severe water supply shortage.
Searching for clean water in the Gaza Strip is a perilous struggle
Searching for a point of clean drinking water in the Gaza Strip constitutes a dangerous journey that extends for hours. This is how the International Committee of the Red Cross described the suffering of the residents of the Strip. The residents of the besieged Strip, who survived the attacks of helicopter gunships and ongoing military operations, are forced to spend most of their time searching for small amounts of water. Drinking, which they obtain with great effort through various means, lacks means of preventing pollution.
A tragic crisis of drinking water shortages in the Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip has been witnessing a tragic crisis of drinking water shortages since the beginning of the large-scale war against the besieged area. This crisis is deepening with the passage of days as a result of the cutting and destruction of the main water lines that supply the people of Gaza with water. Among the poignant stories comes the story of Khamis al-Mughrabi (54 years old) , who was displaced from Al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City, where he wanders around different areas of the city starting at five in the morning in search of a gallon of drinking water for his large family of 28 members.
Hours pass, and he is unable to provide sufficient amounts of water. Due to the great shortage and severe crowding in the queues of residents, the scene is repeated in the following days, and he hardly obtains a gallon of water, which he is forced to be content with for two more days, and success here remains the title of Khamis’ story, which means that he got a chance to survive, or in other words, he succeeded in the end. In finding small quantities of one of the most important ingredients for survival.
Al-Maghrabi describes these challenges by saying:
“I move on foot between several areas at all hours of the day, searching for drinking water. I use horse-drawn carts that transport water in primitive ways, or I go to the water taps inside shelter centers and hospitals, but they do not meet the needs of thousands of residents who stand in long lines to obtain water. Little drinking water.
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