Gazans struggle to find water as clean sources get more scarce

Many have to walk a long way to fill water containers after Israeli bombs damage main pipeline

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GAZA/CAIRO — Hundreds of thousands of Gaza City residents have lost their main source of clean water in the past week after supplies from Israel's water utility were cut by the Israeli army's renewed offensive, the municipal authorities in the territory said.

Many now have to walk, sometimes for miles, to get only a small water fill after the Israeli military's bombardment and ground offensive in Gaza City's eastern Shejaia neighbourhood, in the north of the strip, damaged the pipeline run by state-owned Mekorot.

"Since morning, I have been waiting for water," said 42-year-old Gaza woman Faten Nassar. "There are no stations and no trucks coming. There is no water. The crossings are closed. God willing, the war will end safely and peacefully."

Israel's military said in a statement it was in contact with the relevant organisations to coordinate the repair of what it called a malfunction of the northern pipeline as soon as possible.

It said a second pipeline supplying southern Gaza was still operating, adding that the water supply system "is based on various water sources, including wells and local desalination facilities distributed throughout the Gaza Strip".