GAZA HUMANITARIAN SITUATION REPORT
29 April 2008
KEY OBSERVATIONS
* Between 50 and 60 million litres of partially treated and untreated sewage from the Gaza Strip have • been flowing daily into the Mediterranean Sea since 24 January.
* This sewage cannot be treated due to the lack of a steady electricity supply within the Gaza Strip, • Israel’s restrictions on fuel imports, and prohibitions on the import of materials and necessary spare parts.
* Full sewage treatment requires 14 continuous days of uninterrupted power supply which cannot • occur due to daily power cuts and insufficient fuel to operate power-supplying and back-up generators.
* The sewage discharge is contaminating Gaza sea waters and posing health risks for bathers and • consumers of seafood. The sewage flows northward to Israeli coasts, including near the Ashkelon desalination plant. Urgent studies are needed to examine the extent of the impact.
* The ongoing fuel shortages are triggering a further deterioration in the situation, in which untreated • sewage is now being pumped into heavily populated residential areas: three million litres of raw sewage were recently pumped into the storm water lagoon Jabaliya camp; a sewage pumping station near Zeitoun is likely to flood when its generator fuel runs out in the next 24-48 hours.
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Full report:
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/GazaHumSitRep290408.pdf
Document Type: Situation Report
Document Sources: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Subject: Access and movement, Casualties, Children, Economic issues, Education and culture, Environmental issues, Food, Gaza Strip, Health, Humanitarian relief, Incidents, Protection, Security issues
Publication Date: 28/04/2008