Az-Zawayda Municipality: Direct Targeting and Infrastructure Destruction

The Israeli occupying forces (IOF) deliberately targets municipal administrative offices and basic resources, including water wells, emergency warehouses, and water and sanitation pipelines. Undermining and disrupting municipal operations and services, destruction directly impacts the provision of essential services to residents under the harsh conditions of displacement in shelters and other sites. Recently, the IOF directly hit Az-Zawayda Municipality building, putting it completely out of service. The IOF machinery continues to destroy everything throughout the Gaza Strip, turning it into an uninhabitable area. 

A health and environmental disaster threatening the lives of Gaza population

Az-Zawayda Municipality affirmed that the Israeli war of aggression and genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza has caused widespread destruction. Now a disaster-stricken area, Gaza is experiencing a serious environmental, health and humanitarian catastrophe. 

With the war now entering its seventh month, Az-Zawayda Municipality made clear the major damage caused to infrastructure facilities, including: 

Health and environmental damage resulting from the aggression 

The municipality indicated that Israel’s aggression and destruction have created catastrophic conditions, causing excessive thirst and depriving citizens of the most basic humanitarian services, including water, sanitation, and waste collection. The shortage of drinking water caused the spreading of diseases. Accumulated waste on the streets resulted in the breeding of insects and rodents. 

Continuing emergency efforts to reduce the suffering 

In the face of this situation and despite difficulties and risks, the Emergency Committee at Az-Zawayda Municipality has maintained its efforts to deliver basic services to citizens within its available capacity. 

The municipality demands that the international community and all international organizations urgently intervene to save human life in Gaza and provide municipal needs, particularly adequate quantities of fuel, machinery, and projects required to repair destroyed facilities. 

Measures to improve the difficult conditions 

Among the steps it has taken, the Emergency Committee at Az-Zawayda Municipality maintained and operated electricity generators to provide water to the largest number of the population. Amid the ongoing Israeli aggression against Gaza, the municipality has repaired generators to overcome the acute shortage of fuel needed to operate wells and main pump.  

The municipality anticipates that the coming days see an improved access to water in most areas, serving as many residents and displaced people as possible.