Gaza water is unfit for human use and enough for half the population, a UNHCHR report

PIC, [ 19/12/2009 - 08:53 AM ]

GAZA-

The office of the UN high commissioner on human rights (UNHCHR) stated that the water in the Gaza Strip is unfit for human consumption and sufficient only for half the population and called on Israel to respect the Palestinians’ right to healthy water.

This came during a conference held by Al-Mizan center for human rights and the UNHCHR a couple of days ago entitled “61st anniversary of the world declaration of human rights … Gaza and the right to water” and attended by a crowd of dignitaries.

Director of the UNHCHR office in Gaza Curt Goering said that the water situation in Gaza is very critical, where the main source of water is contaminated because it got mixed with seawater and sewage other than being drained in one way or another.

Goering warned that 90 percent of this water is unfit for human use, affirming that during the coming years, Gaza people might not have access to safe water, which may cause mass deaths among them.

He stressed that the water crisis in Gaza is not new, but it came to the surface 40 years ago, adding that there has been a systematic destruction of nearly 100 wells and about 30 miles of water pipes by Israel since 2003.

The UNHCHR official noted that Israel refuses to allow equipment used in the water sector into post-war Gaza, demanding Israel to stop its violations of international law on water in Gaza.

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