In a special report issued by the Gaza-based aL-Damir society for human rights revealed that the Israeli closure of the coastal enclave since June2007, has impacted the Palestinian environment in Gaza.
‘ Since January,172008, the Israeli occupation authorities have been cutting off fuel and electricity supplies to the Gaza Strip, leading 50 percent of reduction of water networks as well lack of proper maintenance’, read the report.
The report also showed that operation of essential sanitation networks such as potable and sewage water plants, has been disrupted largely, as establishment of five new water wells has been delayed, while water processing plants have been unable to work properly.
Such a situation has been created by the lack of spare parts and building raw materials due to the tight closure of travel and commercial crossings, Israel has been enforcing on the coastal region over the past ten months, explained the report.
The environmental report also pointed out that a large number of Gaza residents are still unable to get drinkable water, because of the frequent power outages, lack of fuel needed to generate electricity, has caused.
In addition, five trucks, which carry garbage, have completely stopped working due to lack of spare parts, as Israel has been preventing shipment of 22 new trucks from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip for the past six months, hinted the report.
In September2007, the Israeli government declared Gaza a hostile entity and began in October a series of punitive measures, as in January2008, Israel further tightened the closure on Gaza.
In June2007, Israel imposed a closure on the coastal territory, home to 1.5 million residents , after the Islamist Hamas party wrestled control over there. Hamas has shunned peace talks with Israel until Israel halts actions against the Palestinian people.
